Event Info
Starts: 3rd March 2022
Course: Muthaiga GC, Kenya
Par: 71 (36-35)
Length: 7,184 yards
2021 Champion: Justin Harding
Preview
Course Info
Designer: Peter Matkovich re-design in 2002
Course Type: Classical, tree lined
Last hosted: 2018
Fairways: Narrow
Par 5's: 4th, 7th, 10th and 18th
Premium on: Accuracy
Significant Info To Be Aware Of
This event was played at Karen CC last year but has now moved to Muthaiga GC in Nairobi.Muthaiga GC has hosted the Kenya Open on a number of occassions but most recently between 2009-2012 and 2017-2018.
Continue to exercise caution in relation to Covid-19 related withdrawals.
Weather Forecast
All four days are forecast to be sunny with a max wind of 14-15mph.
Trends
Winning score
Winning scores in 2017 and 2018 on the Challenge Tour were -11 and -17.
Correlating Courses
Gloria GC which hosted the Turkish Airlines Challenge appears to be a strong linking course between 2017 and 2018 winners, Lorenzo Gagli and Aaron Rai. Gagli had several runner up finishes there whilst Rai was 3rd in 2016.
Course form
Gagli was 16th the year before he won. Aaron Rai hadn't played the course before when he won in 2017. However, that applied to most of the field.
Recent form
Gagli and Rai both recorded top 30 finishes prior to their win.
Stats Analysis
We don't have stats from the Kenya Open's played on the Challenge Tour. However, we can draw conclusions from the winners of earlier events. Both the 2017 and 2018 Kenya Open winners are shorter, accurate players.
Player Quotes
“Kenya has always treated me well. I don’t really know what it is about here, but I always get some good feelings each time I come back. Although it is a different course to where I won I always seem to get the numbers right with the distances eventually. The ball can go really far here so you need to be careful with your calculations!" Sebastian Soderberg, 2018
“When I was flying here I was thinking of that (final) round and all the holes. I was already studying all of the course, but actually, the course is completely different to last year. Last year it was so dry and the ball was running a lot. This year the course is playing much longer. I feel it is easier closer to the greens because it’s easier to chip the greens. The fairways are actually in a good condition after all the rain, so I’m hoping for another good week in Kenya.” Francesco Laporta, 2018.
“It’s a really good course. The front nine and back nine are really different. Everybody says this course is shorter, but this year it’s really wet so it’s playing longer than the other years." Romain Langasque, 2018
“The second nine is really tough. There are some holes that I was just happy to par, so if I keep playing them well, it could be a lower score tomorrow.” Max Schmitt, 2018
"The golf course is very, very firm, I almost feel like I’m playing links golf, and the altitude is a factor for sure – I hit a six iron today from about 219 and it just goes so far." Austin Connelly, 2017
"It’s not an overly long course and it’s pretty firm, and it’s quite tight in places so I think hitting it well off the tee and keeping yourself in a good position, just being solid throughout the week and giving yourself chances, I think those are the main keys to doing well around here." Aaron Rai, 2017
“I like the look of the course. It’s like a lot of African courses, they look pretty similar, and we play an event every year in Zimbabwe and two in Zambia and they look pretty much the same, and I just like the look of it – it’s a great South African-style course. I definitely feel the back nine is playing easier. It’s a lot longer as well, about 400 yards longer than the front nine, and there’s a lot more wedges you hit in and birdie opportunities on the back. Overall this week I think you’ll probably see the front nine playing a lot more difficult." Jaco Ahlers, 2017
“It’s a very nice course and there are different ways you can approach it. You can be aggressive with the driver or, like me, you can hit a lot of long irons off the tee – the key is just to hit the fairway because then you can have a lot of birdie chances." Adrien Saddier, 2017
In Play
Tough Holes
Long par 4 8th played the hardest in 2018. The 5th, 6th and 8th are three of the eight hardest holes on the course.
Birdie Holes
The four par 5 holes, along with the short par 4 17th hole played as the easiest holes in 2018.
Fast or Slow Start
2018
Lorenzo Gagli was three shots back in 15th after an opening round of 67. Gagli was 4th, trailing by four going into the final round.
2017
Aaron Rai was three shots back in 13th after an opening round of 67. Rai trailed by a shot going into the final round.
Closing stretch
The 17th and 18th were two of the four easiest holes on the course in 2018. Expect a fast finish!