South African Jacques fended off a spirited challenge from Britain to win the 2025 Magical Kenya Open Golf Tournament.
The 2025 edition of prestigious Magical Kenya Open Golf Tournament ended in Nairobi with South African pro Jacques Kruyswijk carrying the day after a tense final round in which he fended off spirited challenge from Englishman John Parry.
Fans cheered the duo through the 18 holes, applauding every magical shot as the captivating round got tense after every hole. In the end, only two shots separated the winner and first runner up.
The tournament has grown in leaps and bounds over the last six years having attained the more coveted second tier status of European Tour from the erstwhile Challenge.
In the evolution of Magical Kenya Open Golf Tournament, three factors have remained constant aside from government support.
1. Absa Bank
In a region where corporations engage in sports sponsorships merely as Community Social Responsibility (CSR), Africa’s premier financial institution, Absa Bank, has been a pillar of strength to the tournament.
Years of unwavering support has allowed the organizers to craft a work plan that has steered the tournament to its current heights. The Principal Secretary Peter Tum singled out Absa Bank from among all sponsors for their efforts, 15 years of support to Kenya Open Golf tournament.
2. Muthaiga Golf Club
The Par 72 Muthaiga Golf course is one of the best in the region. Agronomists have done their best to curate the greens to international standards and hardly any golfer has a negative remark regarding the course.
This is a sharp contrast to yesteryears when pro golfers from Europe lamented of the state of the course. Kenya Open Golf Tournament obviously thrives at Muthaiga. The one Kenyan player who came closest to winning the tournament 27 years ago Jacob Okello pointed out the difference between Muthaiga and other courses.
“If all the courses were in the level that Muthaiga is then local pros would not struggle much during the tournament. They play all year in courses that are not like this. When they come for Kenya Open the grass is is at right levels, the ball runs faster and everything seems unfamiliar,” he pointed out
All Kenyan participants failed to make the cut after the opening two rounds. It tells a lot and certainly is a wake-up call to other golf clubs.
3. Tournament Director
The Kenya Open Golf Tournament has benefitted from the vast experience of Tournament Director Peter Obath. Obath has years of organizational experience and has led the Kenya Open Golf Tournament for fifteen years.
Over the years, there have been improvements and 2025, despite a few exceptions like the defective public address, lived up to international standards.
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