Magical Kenya Open: Three tie at the top after second round

An eagle at the last hole pushed Scotland’s Syme Connor to the top of the leaderboard to join a three-way tie at the top with Finland’s Tapia Pulkkanen and round one leader Darius van Driel of Netherlands as the 2024 Magical Kenya Open entered its halfway stage at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course on Friday.

Connor got off with a first hole birdie, dropped a shot soon after at the second and fifth, but picked one birdie at the fourth and soon after another at the seventh. He stayed on course until at the 18th where he eagled for three under par 68 and a two rounds total of seven under par 135.

Of the other two, Finland’s Tapia Pulkkanen recovered from an early bogey scare at the third and a late one at the 16th, to close the second round with three under par, to join day one leader Darius van Driel of the Netherlands at the top, before Connor arrived.

He made birdies at the fourth, fifth, 14th, and the last two holes at the back nine for three under par 68 and a two rounds total of seven under par 135.

“Very solid round. I played a lot of irons off the tee, same as yesterday. I think the course played similar to the first day: same wind direction, firm greens. I played well,’’ said Pulkkanen.

He said it was really important, especially from the first bogey he made on the third, to get the round going and make two birdies after that. He however did not like his tee shot at the seventh.

“I think the seventh hole – that’s a tee shot I didn’t like. A lot of guys hit driver off there and I hit two iron the first day and four iron today, played it as a three-shot par five and tried to make birdie that way," added Pulkkanen. 

On the other hand, the round one leader Driel made one birdie at the front’s fourth, held on with pars up to the 12th where he dropped his only shot, but made birdies at the 17th and 18th for two under par 69 to hold on at the top of course in partnership with Pulkkanen.

“It was a bit more difficult, more wind and it was a bit colder – but still a good score. I was (patient). I missed a couple of short puts for birdie though, but you know there are some chances out there and some tough holes as well. Overall, if you shoot a score under par, that’s good. The heat makes the ball a little bit further, now it’s cooler you wonder what it’s going to do,’’ said the round one leader who will be playing along with Pulkkanen in the third round. 

Meanwhile, three other players were just a shot away from the three leaders. They included Spain’s Manuel Elvira who shot 66 in the second round to tie with Italy’s Lorenzo Scalise and England’s Sam Hutsby all on six under par 136.

The Leaderboard

Syme Connor (Sco) 67, 68= 135

Tapia Pulkkanen (Fin) 67, 68= 135

Darius van Driel (Ned) 66-69= 135

Ewen Ferguson (Sco) 69-67= 136

Manuel Elvira (Sp) 70-66 =136

Sam Hutsby (Eng) 69, 67-136.