Kasuku: Kenya ripe to host leg of Sunshine Tour tournament

Veteran professional golfer Elisha Kasuku says Kenya is ripe to host a leg of the Sunshine Tour tournament.
Kasuku, a former international walker who has featured in many international events, including in PGA European Seniors Tour, has said it was becoming increasingly difficult for Kenyan professionals as well as those in other East African countries to penetrate to the European Tours through the Kenya Open.

Kasuku insists The Sunshine Tour will offer greater opportunity for Kenyan pros to play in international tours like the European Tour Challenge.

“Though we appreciate the opportunities given to Kenyan pros to play in the Challenge Tour after doing well in the Kenya Open, the Sunshine Tour offers even a better chance to our young pros," Kasuku on Thursday said from Kisumu.

He said South Africa was currently hosting about six tournaments which are both sanctioned by the PGA European Tour and the Sunshine Tour which draws its players mainly from Southern African countries. 

This, Kasuku said, offers a great chance for those who are members of the Sunshine Tours to play in the six European Tour events.

“The question is, how do Kenyan pros become members of the tour without having at least an event here at home,” Kasuku added.

Currently, Kenya receives five invites from the Sunshine Tour every year based on the number of invitation the Sunshine Tour members receive from the organisers of the Kenya Open.

“With an event in Kenya and may be one in Uganda, the Sunshine Tour will have opened the doors for East Africans to try their luck in the international scene,” added the veteran pro who was the first Kenyan pro to play in the British Seniors Open.

On the other hand, Kasuku says criteria of selecting pros for the Kenya Open should be reviewed.

“If I had a choice, I would pick seven players from the KCB Tour, then pick three players who made the cut in the 2015 Kenya Open. I would then have a Kenya Open pre-qualifying event to pick five more players for the event,” said Kasuku.

At the same time, Kasuku has urged the Kenya Open organizers to allocate at least four slots each to countries like Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Swaziland.

“This way, our players will be able to get invitation to play in those countries,” he said.

Kasuku appealed to local corporate organisations to support Kenyan pros through sponsors to enable play in international events. Save for a few players like Mumias-based Dismas Indiza who have been able to play in the Sunshine Tour courtesy of Mumias Sugar Company and three players were supported by KCB in the last two years, a majority of the local pros are not able to venture outside Kenya because of lack of financial support,” the veteran pro said.

Elsewhere, the Nyali Golf and Country Club will wind up the 2015 golfing season with the Mombasa Continental Euphoria golf tournament sponsored by Mombasa Continental Resort.

The tournament, which takes place annually on Boxing Day, is aimed at entertaining Nyali Golf Club members and guests of the Resort who choose to spend their Christmas holiday in Mombasa.

An array of prizes will be at stake for both members and invited guests, among them Muthaiga’s Allan Kiuna, Kanyi Gachoka, Charles Kahura and former Cabinet Minister Amos Kimunya.

Members vying for the top prize include Nyali green keeper Ben Mureithi, Dominic Makau, Raphael Thyaka and lady golfer Alice Wahome among many others. Teeing off is set for 8am for those drawn in the morning. The afternoon tee off is 1pm.