By Larry Ngala
Sports Writer
Nation Media Group
With Frenchman Rozner Antoine having flown straight home after his one shot victory at the Commercial Bank of Qatar Masters at the Education City Golf Club in Doha, and the top leaders in the “Race to Dubai’’ not available, Italian Guido Migliozzi is now the favourite at the par 71 Karen Country Club course where the 2021 Magical Kenya Open gets underway from 7am on Thursday.
Migliozzi, who shot seven under par in Doha to tie for second place with South Africa’s Darren Fichardt and India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, returns to Karen to try and complete a double after clinching the 2019 edition of the Magical Kenya Open being presented by Johnnie Walker and supported by Absa.
It was one of those unexpected victories for the Italian who however maintained his form thereafter, to retain his European Tour card. Currently in 32nd place in the Race to Dubai, he will be facing among others, Bhullar, and a host of hot charging youngsters who are trying to garner more points towards the “Race to Dubai”.
Then there is the group of England’s Chris Paisley who at 17th place in the Order of Merit is probably the top ranked player this week besides the defending champion Migliozzi.
During the Doha event, Paisley shot four under par to tie for seventh place with South Africa’s Brandon Stone, and a shot behind England’s Richard MCEvoy and Jamie Donaldson of Wales.
All of those plus American Kurt Katayama will be after a slice of the cake if not the whole cake at Karen where a field of 156 players including six amateurs drawn from 30 countries will be battling it out minus the usual crowds as the event, like all the European Tour players, is closed to the public because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Katayama shot three under in Doha and will be out to mprove on this in the Magical Kenya Open which will be followed the newly introduced Kenya Savannah Classic which is also part of the European Tour series.
Open race
It is an open field with a room for even the past winners Sebastian Soderberg of Sweden, England’s Aaron Rai, and two other Italians Edoardo Molinari and Lorenzo Gagli who are also seeking a double in the Open. One can’t also write off the South Africans who have claimed the title six times before
Read more at https://nation.africa/kenya/sports/golf/magical-kenya-open-kicks-off-karen-kenyans-chase-glory-3325838
