Najib Balala: Why we cancelled Kenya Open

The decision to cancel this year’s Magical Kenya Open Golf Championships will allow for proper organisation of the 2021 edition, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has said.

Over the years, the tournament has helped showcase Kenya as a preferred travel destination, but with no crowds currently allowed into major golf competitions worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, and with travel inconvenienced, holding the Open in Nairobi this year would not be viable, Balala noted.

Kenyan and regional professional and amateur golfers will now have to wait until March, 2021, for the next edition. The Open, which is part of the European Tour, had been re-scheduled for November 12 to 15.

Balala explained that it was also the feeling of elite players that with the air travel challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, holding the tournament in November under the prevalent circumstances, wouldn’t have been viable.

“With a prize purse of one million dollars and the investment that the government has put in, we didn’t want to waste it,” the CS said, adding that it was important to also have the crowds that make the Open what it should be.

“The impact, for us to get maximum exposure, was limited, so we agreed that it (the Open) be postponed to next year.”

“Sports needs crowds. You saw like the other day when Denmark and England were playing (in the Uefa Nations League) with no crowds, it’s boring…”

The cancellation of the tournament, principally sponsored and presented by Absa Kenya bank, was announced yesterday following consultation between the European Tour and the Kenya Open Golf Limited.

In a brief press statement,  Kenya Open Golf Limited chairman Peter Kanyago expressed gratitude to the European Tour for their support.

“By sharing insights with us on the ever-changing landscape of the international golf tournaments, we were able to make an informed decision to once again postpone the Magical Kenya Open to a more suitable time next year,” said Kanyago.

Start of the Safari Tour

European Tour Deputy Chief Operating Officer Ben Cowen said the European Tour enjoys a successful long-term relationship with Kenya Open Golf Limited and “look forward to working closely with them in the coming months as we prepare to return to Karen Country Club next year.”

A number of professionals and amateurs interviewed expressed their disappointment saying they had taken advantage of the late start of the Safari Tour and the postponement of the Magical Kenya Open first from March 12 to 15, to November 12, to prepare for the tournament.

“That is bad news, we had been preparing for the Open particularly now that we had a couple of months to practice. All the same, we will have to now shift our focus to the Safari Tour if it will be there,” said Mumias-based Dismas Indiza, who had led the list of 12 qualifiers.

Kenya’s top junior amateur Mutahi Kibugu of Muthaiga, who is currently playing plus two handicap, said his immediate plan is to try and win next week’s Kenya Amateur Open Match play Championship at Vet Lab, then think about the 2021 Magical Kenya Open.

Juniors

Kibugu and his clubmate Taimur Malik had been selected by the Junior Golf Foundation to join 2019 leading amateur Samuel Njoroge, current Match play champion Paul Muchangi, South Africa based Daniel Nduva and Tanzania’s Victor Joseph for this year’s open.

“If I win the match play then I will play in the 2021 Kenya Open on my own right, otherwise I may just turn professional and seek my slot in the Open through the Safari Tour,’’ said Kibugu.

Govt support

Two Golf Park-based pros David Wakhu and Eric Ooko hope that the government will support this year’s Safari Tour now that the Open has been cancelled.

“I was ready for Karen as I have been practising since the Open was postponed in March. My golf was solid in almost every department. Last weekend, I shot six under par at Nanyuki Sports Club, and that is not the only good score I have posted lately, since I have had all the time to practise," said Ooko.

On the other hand, Wakhu says the virus has affected the pros and made life more difficult without events to play since March.

“I hope some of us who had already qualified for this year’s Open, will be exempted from qualifcation for the 2021 tournament. It will not be very fair since it was not our making the Open did not take place this year,’’ said Wakhu.

Another pro who expressed his disappointment was Nigeria’s Andrew Odoh, who along with Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi and Uganda’s Philip Kassozi had qualified for the 2020 Open at Karen.

“That’s not good news at all, but all the same, we will wait as everyone was ready for the event,’’ said Odoh.

It is the first time since 2003 that the open has failed to take place, and the third time since the tournament started in 1967, first as part of the Africa Safari Circuit and later on as a member of the Challenge Tour.

Lack of sponsorship

The first time the event was not held was in 1976 where it could not take place because of the lack of sponsorship.

Again the Open did not take place in 2003 since the organisers were not able to get a title sponsor.

Initially, the 2020 Open which was going to take place as part of the European Tour series for the second year running, had been scheduled for March 12 to 15 at the par 72 Karen Country Club course which also hosted the 2019 edition won by Italy’s Guido Migliozzi. It was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.