2025 Magical Kenya Open (Round 1):
T1 – John Parry (England): 63 (-8)
T1- Benjamin Hebert (France): 63 (-8)
3 – Jayden Schaper (South Africa): 64 (-7)
T33 – Riz Charania (Kenya): 69 (-2)
T45 – Daniel Nduva (Kenya): 70 (-1)
T140 – Willy Deus Kitata (Uganda): 77 (+6)
147 – Joseph Cwinya-ai (Uganda): 81 (+10)
The opening round of the DP Tour Magical Kenya Open teed off on Thursday, 20th February 2025 at the par-71 Muthaiga Golf Course in Nairobi city.
150 players (majorly professionals) and a few invited amateurs played the round under sunny conditions.
Two golfers John Parry (England) and Benjamin Hebert played stunning golf with each scoring 8- under 63 in the round.
Parry and Hebert had bogie free rounds. Whereas Parry had 8 birdies and 10 pars; Hebert recorded 6 birdies and an eye-catching Eagle on par 5 hole 10 with 11 pars.
South African Jayden Schaper is a shot off the joint leaders with 7 under 64.
58 golfers all played under –par with another 18 returning a course level par score (71).
The best East African after round one was Kenya’s Riz Charania with 2-under-69, closely followed by former Uganda Open amateur champion Daniel Nduva (70).
It was a disappointing show for the two Ugandans in the fray; Willy Deus Kitata (77) sitting joint 140th and national team captain Joseph Cwinya-ai with 81 (+10) in the 147th position.
Kitata opened his round with a bogie on par 4 hole 1. He recovered with three consecutive pars on holes 2, 3 and 4 before a double bogie patch on hole 5.
The Florida based Ugandan pro continued with pars on 6, 7, 8 and a birdie on hole 9 before crossing for the back course.
It was a par on hole 10, double bogey on hole 11, pars on 12 and 13, bogey for 14, par on hole 15, birdie on 16, double bogey on 17 and a strong finish with a birdie on par 5 hole 18.
Cwinya-ai had a troublesome round that included 5 bogey scores on holes 2, 14, 16, 17 and 18; three double bogies on holes 3, 5 and 10, 9 pars (1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15) and only one birdie on par 4-hole 6.
Every moment is a learning experience that I will forever cherish. I had a big round and I look forward improving (lowering) my scores for day two.
Joseph Cwinya-ai, Uganda national amateur golf champion
Darius van Driel is the reigning champion.
The winner is assured of $425,000 (at least Ug.Shs 1.5 billion).
The second placed will earn $275,000 (at least Ug.Shs 1 billion) and the 65th positioned golfer will take home $6,000 (at least Ug.Shs 22 million).
Magical Kenya Open 2025 prize money payout in full:
WINNER: $425,000
2. $275,000
3. $156,500
4. $125,000
5. $106,000
6. $87,500
7. $75,000
8. $62,500
9. $56,000
10. $50,000
11. $46,000
12. $43,000
13. $40,250
14. $38,250
15. $36,750
16. $35,250
17. $33,750
18. $32,250
19. $31,000
20. $30,000
21. $29,000
22. $28,250
23. $27,500
24. $26,750
25. $26,000
26. $25,250
27. $24,500
28. $23,750
29. $23,000
30. $22,250
31. $21,500
32. $20,750
33. $20,000
34. $19,250
35. $18,500
36. $17,750
37. $17,250
38. $16,750
39. $16,250
40. $15,750
41. $15,250
42. $14,750
43. $14,250
44. $13,750
45. $13,250
46. $12,750
47. $12,250
48. $11,750
49. $11,250
50. $10,750
51. $10,250
52. $9,750
53. $9,250
54. $8,750
55. $8,500
56. $8,250
57. $8,000
58. $7,750
59. $7,500
60. $7,250
61. $7,000
62. $6,750
63. $6,500
64. $6,250
65. $6,000
The post Joint lead for Parry, Herbert as Kitata, Cwinya-ai start slow in round 1 | 2025 Magical Kenya Open appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
