-Italy’s Fanali and Belgium’s Roey takes second and third slots respectively as Curtain closed at the four days LET tour;
MAARUFU MOHAMED-GOLFNEWSLINKS;
Singaporean Shannon Tan was crowned the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open Champion when the curtain closed at the Par 73 Vipingo Baobab Ridge Golf Course in Kilifi County on Sunday evening.
The 19 years old girl who turned professional a year ago recorded a combined score of under 12 for total of 288 gross from the four rounds event to be crowned the overall winner of the season opener for the Ladies European Tour (LET) staged in Kenya for the fourth time.
Tan started the tourney on Thursday with 73 gross, had a 70 gross in the second day on Friday, brought an excellent 67 gross in the third round on Saturday and closed the final fourth round on 70 gross take the overall lead.
She had a hot start to her final round, holing three birdies in the first five holes before dropping a shot at the par-five sixth but immediately recovered that shot in the par-5 seventh with a birdie, before dropping another short at the par-3 eighth to card a total of 35 on the first nine while playing a bogey-free on the back nine, holing a birdie at the par-5, 11th hole for a total of 35gross.
Tan was awarded a Magical Kenya Open trophy modeled in a shape of a Giraffe where her name will be inscribed as the fourth Champion after German’s two times winner Esther Heinselet and India’s Adit Ashoki.
She was also awarded a KES 7.9 million (€45,000) and earned 500 LET order of merit points to qualify to play at next week’s prestigious Aramco Saudi Ladies International in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia presented by PIF whose prize kitty is KES 812 million (USD 5 million).
The lady who now becomes the first Professional lady from her Country to win the Ladies European Tour (LET) said she was happy to be in Kenya and playing in such a beautiful Course surrounded with Wildlife including the Giraffes will be an experience to remember in her life forever.
“It was close until hole 16 where it was like a one-shot difference but I stuck to my own game plan just trying to hit every fairway and every green I can. I would say I am proud. Juniors back home now know that it is possible, and they know anything is possible and I guess it will kind of push them a little bit and inspire them. I will I go into every event with the same mindset and target just trying to do my best and control what can be controlled so, I will just try and stick to my game plan throughout the whole season, “said Tan.
Italian Alessandra Fanali was the runners up on a round total of 284 gross from a 70,73,67, and 74gross and went home with KES 4.7 million (€27,000) claiming 320 order of merit points.
There was a five-way share for third place featuring Belgium’s Manon De Roey, Spain’s Ana Pelaez Trivino, England’s Alice Hewson, Chiara Tamburlini from Switzerland and Nataliya Guseva who all ended their challenge with scores of a 4-under par 288gross each to complete the podium places.
The main 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open teed-off on Thursday this week, bringing together 108 golfers among them five Kenyan amateurs, attracting the participation of golfers from 36 nationalities and was broadcasted live globally across eleven territories.
It started last Wednesday with a Pro-Am brought together 108 World Leading Lady Golfers from 40 Countries among them Five Kenyan Amateurs who unfortunately failed to make the cut on Friday evening after two rounds.
The Kenyans are Naomi Wafula,Jacquelyne Walter, Kellie Gachaga, Chanelle Wangari and Mercy Nyanchama.
The cut line was set at 6-over par,152gross , with a total of 67 players that battled on Sunday for a share of the tournament’s 300,000 Euros (KShs 51,900,000) prize fund where the Overall winner was awarded KES 7.9 million (€45,000) of the total prize kitty which was set at KES 52.5 million (€300,000).
But the majority of the golfers and fans especially those coming to Vipingo for the first time will return home with unforgettable experience from the Course featuring several varieties of animals roaming freely around the Vipingo Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary whose numbers has risen to 195 animals up from 151 in 2023.
These animals include Oryx, Elands, Waterbucks, Impalas, Grants gazelles, Bebras, Giraffes, Bushbucks, Lesser kudus, Wildebeests, and Hartebeests.
The Golf event kicked off with Pro-Am on Wednesday as a curtain raiser which was won on a score of 32-under by the group of Swedish professional Lisa Pettersson and England’s Gabriella Cowley who teamed up with local golfers Naeem Pasta, Vimar Ranpura, and Karan Khagramat.
Day one main event on Thursday saw England’s Eleanor Givens, South Africa’s Cara Gorlei, and Ireland’s Lauren Walsh share the lead after posting a 4 under par 69 gross.
South Africa’s Cara Gorlei was the day two leader on Friday after carding a 1-under par 72gross for a total of 5-under par 141gross.
Singapore’s Shannon Tan and Italy’s Alessandra Fanali posted 6-under par 67gross scores to share the day three lead on Saturday with total sores of 9-under par, 210 going into the final round on Sunday.
It was Organized by U.Com and Vipingo ridge and jointly sponsored by among others Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Talanta Hela, Huawi, Mpesa, Kilifi County Government, Johnnie Walker, ABSA, Vipingo Ridge, and LET.
The prize giving ceremony was graced by Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet secretary for Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts, Mombasa County Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, Former Mombasa County Governor Hassan Joho and hosted by the Kilifi County Governor Gideon Mung’aro among others.
It was being broadcasted live globally across 100 countries and to 350 million homes, continuing with its history of placing Kenya on the global map since inception in 2019.
The Ladies European Tour (LET) season for 2024 has 31 events in 20 countries with a total purse of at least €34 million.
Action in the LET calendar now moves at the next week’s prestigious Aramco Saudi Ladies International in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia presented by PIF whose prize kitty is KES 812 million (USD 5 million).
MAGICAL KENYA LADIES OPEN 2024 TOP TEN LEADERS-VIPINGO-KENYA;
Shannon Tan (-12)-73-70-67-70-280gross,Alessandra Fanali (-8)-70-73-67-74-284gross,Manon De Roey (-4)-76-72-70-70-288gross,Ana Pelaez Trivino (-4)-74-71-72-71-288gross,Alice Hewson-(-4)-75-71-71-71-288gross,Nataliya Guseva (-4)- 72-70-74-72-288gross,Chiara Tamburlini (-4)-72-71-73-72-288gross, Alexandra Forsterling (-3)-72-72-76-69-289gross, Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen (-3)-70-76-72-71-289gross, 8-Aunchisa Utama (-3)-71-74-71-73-289gross.
ENDS;
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