Magical Kenya Open: How I assisted Ashun Wu to win Sh37 million- Muthaiga caddy Navilegwa

Victor Navilegwa was going about his daily errands at Muthaiga Golf Club on Friday when he bumped on a European Tour referee who was in some sort of urgency.

The umpire was frantically looking for a caddy to assist one of the players in the batch that was about to tee off on the second day of the 53rd edition of the Magical Kenya Open championships that was being held at the venue.

Apparently, the player had jetted in with his caddy who became sick after round one of the global event.

The unwell caddy could not proceed with the rest of the tournament as he badly needed medical attention.

Knowing how serious the situation was, Navilegwa dropped everything he was doing and came on board to assist the golfer as any further delay could have affected the tee-off schedules of the lucrative competition.

Little did Navilegwa know that this new partnership was about to bore not only a new champion on the course but a first Chinese and a first Asian winner of the event.

With great support from Navilegwa, Ashun Wu of China managed to card a total of four rounds of 16 under par 268 to win the tournament on Sunday.

This feat propelled Wu into an overnight millionaire as he went home Sh37 million richer.

"Since I know Muthaiga Golf course like my bedroom, I advised Wu accordingly.

"All the instructions I gave him resulted in every positive outcome," Navilegwa told Standard Sports.

"I showed him the good lines, I read the greens for him, I gave him the right clubs to hit the ball on particular sections."

The 58-year old father of four believes his vast experience as a caddy at the pristine Muthaiga course for over 30 years gave them an advantage over other opponents.

"My instructions to Wu hit their targets because I know this pitch very well, I know it like the palm of my hand, I understand these fairways inside out," he said.

"I told Wu where the greens were tricky, I showed him the lines to place the balls, I directed him on where to fire the ball, whether right or left.

" I read for him the winds and analysed for him the tricky pin positions before we chipped and put."

Navilegwa said his partnership with Wu was able to work out successfully because the Chinese is a very patient man, a good listener and was able to execute the instructions as he directed.

"You know, there are some players you can hardly advise, they think they know it all,” Navilegwa said.

" But Wu was very inquisitive, he was asking questions which I did my level best to answer.

"He took every bit of my words with seriousness."

Navilegwa believes international players who jetted into the country with their own caddies had some sort of challenge on the course as they could not get any solid assistance that they needed to beat the par 71 pitch.

He cites an example of Ewen Ferguson of Scotland who had opened a four-shot lead going into the Sunday final only for the Scott to finish on ten under par in the end.

"He (Ferguson) could have won the tournament had he had someone to help him out, he needed the experience of a local caddy who has been based at Muthaiga for a while.

"If you see my relationship with Wu, we kept rising every day.

"It was a two-under par on Thursday, then we made the cut on five under on Friday, we stretched the margin to ten under on Saturday before finishing with whooping 16 under on the final day," Navilegwa explained.

Wu confirmed the great support he received from Navilegwa in the Muthaiga course saying: " It was nice being with Victor, he is a good guy.

"He showed me the areas to hit the ball properly, he really helped me to win today. This victory is ours to share."

Wu said that he will send Navilegwa his cut of the Sh37 million 'loot' soonest through the Kenya Golf Union.

He didn't indicate how much Navilegwa would get.

According to Peter Kanyago, the Kenya Open Golf Limited Chairman, the cut agreement is between the player and the caddy as there is no rule which governs the payment.

The highest amount Navilegwa said he has ever received as a caddy is Sh5800 when he helped Gary Boyd of England to win the tournament at Muthaiga in 2009.

"For one to be a great caddy, they should first know how to read the lines on the greens, secondly they should know how their player is hitting the shots so they pick for them the right clubs,"  Navilegwa said.

Victor Navilegwa Magical Kenya Open achievements

2009: Victory with Gary Boyd of England at Muthaiga.

2010: Runners-up with Julio Zapata of Argentina at Muthaiga.

2012: Was runners up with Lasse Jensen of Sweden at Muthaiga.

2022:Victory with Ashun Wu of China at Muthaiga.