More golf slots for locals

Kenyan professional golfers can now settle down and focus on delivering good results at this year’s Magical Kenya Open Championship starting on Thursday at the Muthaiga Golf Club after their demand for more slots was granted.

It’s sad that a gentleman’s game was being turned into an ugly one with threats of legal action and boycott from the local professionals in the last week as they demanded 16 slots, including three for regional golfers. Kenya Open had allocated eight slots for the locals with the Local Organising Committee chairperson Patrick Obath claiming that the slots are what the European Tour that is also DP World Tour had recommended.

These are incidents that could have been avoided if Kenya Open organisers had chosen to be honest and transparent in their undertakings. All was settled on Thursday during an online meeting where Kenya Open added the professionals five more slots making it 13.

From the joint communique that diffused the tension on Friday, it is clear that 22 slots had been allocated, something the organisers chose not to make public for reasons known to themselves. This is not acceptable considering that Kenya Open is a public event where local professionals are key stakeholders and must be part and parcel of its organisation.

We are glad that Professional Golfers of Kenya, Kenya Open, Kenya Golf Union and Kenya Golf Federation will from now on be part of future organisation of the event, a move that will help resolve issues of local participation.

While local professionals must be accorded their share of slots, we also challenge them to up their game and measure up to the European Tour standards. Corporates should come in with sponsorship to further the local professionals course since we cannot expect them to perform well without qualified build up tournaments.

Only good performance from the local professional by making the cut at the MKO will spur interest from sponsors.