Five events across four East African countries, including Rwanda Open, have been integrated into the 2019/2020 Safari Tour Golf Series, which teed off Saturday in Kenya. According to Rwanda Golf captain Davis Kashaka, the Safari Golf Tour will now have competitions in four regional countries, with Rwanda being the latest member. Professionals participating in the events will earn points on the Safari Tour ranking, enabling them to qualify for the Magical Kenya Open, the biggest golf tournament in the region. The revamped series will now have 12 events, with Kenya holding the lion’s share with 7 events, Uganda with 3 while Rwanda and Tanzania will organize one tournament each. Safari Tour director, Patrick Obath, has revealed that the revamping of the Safari Tour Golf series into a rotating East African tournament was largely influenced by the request from Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta. Nyali Vet Lab, Limuru, Thika Greens, Muthaiga, Windsor and Kareen will host the Kenyan legs, just like last season. The series will include junior and elite golfers – in both gender categories. The series got underway Saturday at the Nyali Golf and Country Club in Mombasa. The competition will run through August 28, and it has attracted over 40 golfers from the region, including defending champion Greg Snow. In Uganda, the well-established Uganda Open, with a US$50,000 (About Rwf45M) prize fund, will now be part of the Safari Tour as will the Entebbe Open and Kitante Open tournaments. “We are still in discussions with Tanzania on dates and venue for their leg of the Safari Tour,” Obath added. From Nyali, the series will move to Uganda, for the Ugandan Open at the Lake Victoria Golf Club on September 10-14. The Royal Nairobi Golf Club will host the third leg of the Tour on the 12th through 16th of October, before heading back to Ugandan for the fourth leg at the Entebbe Golf Club from October 30 to November 2. Action will continue in Rwanda at the Kigali Golf Club on November 6-9 before heading to the Great Rift Valley Golf Club, in Kenya. All legs of the tour will have a minimum cash prize of US$10,000, about Rwf 9million. editor@newtimesrwanda.com
