Magical Kenya Open: Van Driel, Elvira share lead as final round beckons

Dutchman Darius van Driel remained at the top of the leaderboard going into the final round of the 2024 Magical Kenya Open at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club, this time in the company of Manuel Elvira of Spain.

Driel played a neat round that however included only three birdies at the ninth, 10th and 14th for three under par 68 that saw him wind up Saturday with a three rounds total of 10 under par 203.

“It was a good round. Bogey free, not stress free. I had to work hard in the last couple of holes. Overall, a good round. I didn’t get into trouble much. But I didn’t hit a lot of close ones, so I didn’t make a lot of birdies. It was one of those rounds that, for me, was pretty boring until the last few holes. It’s always been my dream to win on the DP World Tour,’’ said Driel. 

Elvira, on the other hand, moved to the top mixing up six birdies and two bogeys that resulted in a four under par 67, to also carry to the final round a 10 under par 203. He played a bogey-less front nine that included birdies picked up at the third, fourth and ninth. 

He started the back nine with a birdie at the par three-11th, but missed par at the 13th where a Suzuki Vitara has been waiting for any player to hole in one. He recovered that shot with a birdie three at the 14th, and stayed on course until at the long par three-16th, one of the most difficult par three on the Muthaiga course where he made a four. He collected his sixth birdie at the 17th, for the 67 and a total of 10 under par 203.

“The delay just gave me more time to stay in my room and relax. I felt like I was in position all the time. I missed a couple of drives, but I was always in the right spots and I gave myself lots of chances for birdie, I think that was pretty important. On six I thought I hit a pretty good drive, but I guess I’m always taking the bad line on that hole. Luckily I had a good lie and I had a clear shot to the green. I was a bit lucky with the bounce before the green, it almost rolled on, but I just chipped it to a foot and made par. That was pretty important, making par on that hole,” said Elvira.

Scotland’s Syme Connor, Joe Dean from England and South Africa’s Ryan Van Velzen tied for third place on eight under par 205. Connor made three birdies and two bogeys and wound up the day with an eagle at the par five-18th.

Dean, on the other hand, birdied four times against one bogey for the day’s 68, while the South African Velzen had a total of five birdies all of them from the tough front nine where he also dropped shots at the first and seventh and picked a late birdie at the 17th to sign in for a 67.

The Leaderboard

Darius van Driel (Ned) 66, 69, 68= 203

Manuel Elvira (Sp) 70, 66, 67= 203

Ryan van Velzen (SA) 67, 71, 67= 205

Joe Dean (Eng) 68, 69, 68= 205

Syme Connor (Sco) 67, 68, 70= 205

Deon Germushuys(SA) 71, 66, 69= 206

Sam Hutsby (Eng) 69, 67, 70== 206

Ewen Ferguson (Scot) 69, 67, 70= 206

Tapio Pulkkanen(Fin) 67, 68, 71= 206.