South Africa’s Jacques Kruyswijk is the new Magical Kenya Open Golf champion after clinching victory at the par-71 Muthaiga Golf Club on Sunday.
The 33-year-old from Pretoria outplayed England’s John Parry by two shots to claim his first DP World Tour title, walking away with a top prize of Sh54.4 million.
Kruyswijk made his presence felt on Friday’s second round, where he tied with four other players at seven-under-par 135. That position seemed to give him the confidence he needed as he surged into the lead in the third round and never looked back.
During the final round, which attracted a huge crowd of spectators, Kruyswijk delivered a flawless performance, avoiding bogeys and sinking four birdies—two on each nine—for a four-under-par 67.
Sports PS Peter Tum hands over the Magical Kenya Open trophy to South Africa's Jacques Kruyswijk during the closing ceremony at Muthaiga Golf Club on February 23, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
His 18-under-par 266 total saw him narrowly miss the tournament aggregate record of 21-under-par 263 set by fellow South African Justin Harding in the 2021 Magical Kenya Open at Karen Country Club.
Parry, who briefly challenged for the lead, dropped a shot and failed to recover, ultimately settling for second place with a total score of 275. He earned $275,000 (approximately Sh35.2 million) for his efforts.
With this victory, Kruyswijk heads home to South Africa with renewed confidence as he prepares for the South African Open at Durban Country Club, where he will be chasing his second DP World Tour title.
A strong contingent of South African players performed well at the event, with eight of them making the cut and finishing in the prize money in the $2.5 million tournament. Besides the prize money, Kruyswijk also secured 3,500 points towards the “Road to Dubai” series.
Absa Bank Chairman of Board Charles Muchene (right), MKO winner Jacques Kruyswijk and Abdi Mohamed, Absa Bank Kenya MD and CEO at Muthaiga Golf Club on February 23, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
This year’s Magical Kenya Open drew a field of 140 players, including 13 Kenyan professionals, six amateurs, and three regional players from Uganda, Malawi, and Nigeria. However, none of the local or regional players managed to make the second-round cut.
Kruyswijk’s victory marks yet another South African triumph at the Magical Kenya Open, solidifying the country’s dominance in the tournament's history.
