BESSELING, THE MAN TO BEAT: Dutch golfer wins inaugural KCB Masters Golf Championships

KCB Group chairman Ngeny Biwott and KCB Karen Masters winner Will Besseling yesterday. [PHOTO: COURTESY]

Will Besseling of The Netherlands is the overall winner of the inaugural KCB Karen Masters Golf Championships.

Besseling played a total 12 under par 132 to win the two-day lucrative tournament at the par 72 Karen Country Club in Nairobi. The championship had a total prize of Sh1.5 million.

The Dutchman fired six under par 66 on day one of the main championship on Saturday before replicating the same on the last day yesterday, which secured him victory.

On his way to winning the contest, Besseling shot two birdies, a bogey and six pars for a total of 35 out, followed by five birdies and four level shots for 31 in for a total of six under par 66.

The feat not only earned him the envious blue jacket stardom, but saw him pocket Sh412,000 for the trouble.

“I feel honoured to win this prestigious tournament. It is such a huge success for me. I am also glad that I lifted the blue jacket. I look forward to defending my title next year,” Besseling said.

Another Dutch, Reiner Saxton, scored 10 under par 134 to finish second while Englishman Tom Murray was third with a score of eight under par 136.

The best-placed local player at the tournament was Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s Greg Snow, who finished fourth on seven under par 137 after rounds of 71 on Saturday and 66 yesterday.

Snow shot an eagle at the par five followed by two birdies for a 32 in the front nine and three birdies and a bogey in the back nine for a total of six under par 66 on the final day.

Others that made it to the top 10 rankings at the event include Steve Brown, Daan Huzuing, Borja Vito, Ben Evans and Jurrian Van Der Vart.

Speaking during the prize giving ceremony, KCB Group CEO and MD Joshua Oigara lauded the players for an excellent outing, adding that professional golfers should be nurtured appropriately.

“For the last three days, the most glorious pages in East Africa’s golf history have been turned and they were pages of extraordinary golf shots at the KCB Karen Masters,”Oigara said.

KCB bank supported the tournament with a sponsorship of Sh30milion, while mobile services provider Safaricom injected Sh7million.