Kasozi throws final dice for Kenya Open ticket at Karen

Kasozi follows the flight of his ball after during the Kitante Open a week ago. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO

KAMPALA- Ugandan pro golfer Phillip Kasozi has the never-ceasing hunger to win which every sportsman ought to harbour.
He will certainly need to borrow from that cup of desire beginning today when he gets onto the Karen Country Club in Nairobi for the final leg of the Safari Tour Series.

This is his last throw of the dice on the table for Kasozi as he bids to secure a successive ticket to the PGA European Tour via the Magical Kenya Open set to be held at Karen from March 12-15.

“I will have to play my heart out,” he told Sunday Monitor this week after landing in Nairobi. He is in the quest for a kitty increased three times to KShs3m (Shs109m) over the next four days.

Kasozi is in hunt for one of the two available tickets for non-Kenyans on Safari Series but with 208.5 points in 14th place, he is behind Zimbabwean Robson Chinhoi 11th (214) and Andrew Odoh 13th (210).

The trio played in the pressure group at the Kitante Open last week and Odoh won with an aggregate score of two-under 286 while Chinhoi was third and Kasozi fourth.

“I have never been in a pressure group for pros, it was my first,” said Kasozi after his best finish on the Series thus far. “Good things are hatching.”

Karen is known for its fast greens and Kasozi must outsmart either of Chinhoi and Odoh to be back at Karen in three weeks’ time.
“The course us tougher than usual. The rough is huge, they are preparing it for the Open. So you miss the fairway, you pay but I will fight,” added Kasozi.

Chinhoi and Odoh are confident too. “My plan remains the same, try to get my slot into the Kenya Open. If I can get everything going nice, then all will be good,” stated Odoh who made the top 35 at the 2015 Kenya Open and 2019 Karen Masters.
“My plan is to just maintain that position I have now. Top-5 is okay for me and I am looking for decent scores,” said Chinhoi who also played the Karen Masters last year.

SAFARI TOUR SERIES
STANDINGS - AFTER 10 LEGS
D. Indiza (KEN) 395.1 points
Simon Ngige (KEN) 381.9
Greg Snow (KEN) 376.5
Erick Obura (KEN) 317.3
Rizwan Charania (KEN) 264.1
David Wakhu (KEN) 255.6
Kopan Timbe (KEN) 239.4
C. J. Wangai (KEN) 238
Robson Chinhoi (ZIM) 214
Andrew Odoh (NIG) 210
Phillip Kasozi (UGA) 208.5