Safaricom pumps in Sh26.8m for Magical Kenya Ladies Open
Safaricom's Acting Chief Financial Services Officer Boniface Mungania ( (left) and Alastair Cavenagh, Chairman Vipingo Ridges, pose for a photo with a dummy cheque of Sh26.8 million during the official cheque handover for the 2023 Magical Kenya Ladies Open in Nairobi on January 23, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Last year, telecommunications provider offered sponsorship worth Sh20 million.
- Since its formation in 1978, the Ladies European Tour has crowned more than 250 winners, with 700 championship trophies won by players from over 30 countries.
Safaricom’s mobile money service, M-Pesa Monday announced a Sh26.8 million sponsorship for the third edition of the Magical Kenya Ladies Golf Open to be held at the PGA Baobab Course at Vipingo Ridge Resort in Kilifi County from February 2 to 5.
The event will be the first in a series of 39 golf events on the 2023 Ladies European Tour calendar.
It will feature a field of 96 players from across the world taking to the course in a 72-stroke competition.
“We are delighted to sponsor the Magical Kenya Ladies Open for the third year in a row. This sponsorship highlights our strong commitment to supporting sports in the country and promoting Kenya as a premier sporting and tourist destination.
The Ladies European Tour provides our young Kenyan lady golfers with an opportunity to learn and grow in the sport, which is in line with our goal of supporting talent through the spirit of Tuinuane,” said Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa.
Safaricom will further sponsor all participating Kenyan players financially and also kit them.
As part of its ambition to develop talent, Safaricom will also fully sponsor four female junior golfers drawn from last year’s Safaricom Golf Tour, who will be participating in the Pro-Am tournament on February 1.
One hundred junior golfers are set to benefit from a full-day clinic with coaching from the professional golfers.
The Kenyan team will be led by Vipingo Ridge’s PGA Academy star Naomi Wafula, Vet Lab’s Mercy Nyanchama and 16-year-old Chanelle Wangari, and Golf Park’s Nancy Wairimu.
The quartet will take the course under the amateur category.
Defending champion Esther Henseleit of Germany will be hoping to retain her title for the third time.
However, Henseleit will face stiff competition from Marta Sanz Barrio of Spain and Linnea Strom of Sweden, who finished second and third respectively in last year’s competition.
The prize fund remains €300,000 (Sh40 million). The tournament is part of the Ladies European Tour, organised by U.COM Event.
“It is a great honour for us to be hosting the European Ladies Tour for the third year. This is a spectacular global event that we feel proud about and preparations are in top gear. I want to thank Safaricom through M-Pesa for their great support. They have walked with us throughout the journey since we first held our first regional tournament in 2019,” said U.COM Event CEO Dirk Glittenberg.
Last year, telecommunications provider offered sponsorship worth Sh20 million.
Since its formation in 1978, the Ladies European Tour has crowned more than 250 winners, with 700 championship trophies won by players from over 30 countries.
