This archive report was first published on 6 December 2019.
On Thursday morning, Swedish golfer Julia Engstrom took the lead at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open Championships at the Vipingo Baobab Ridge Golf Resort Course in Kilifi County, Kenya. She returned a seven-under-par 67 gross, a strong start to the tournament.
Engstrom, 18, turned professional last year and is currently in the lead by a stroke. English Lady Professional golfer Liz Young, 27, is in second place after returning a four-under-par 68 gross.
Other notable golfers in the competition include German's Henseleit, who is second on the Ladies European Tour (LET) Order of Merit, and American Star Cheyenne Woods, niece of former world number one Tiger Woods.
Meanwhile, KCB Bank has boosted the Magical Kenya Ladies Open Golf Championship with a Sh5 million sponsorship. The bank's chief financial officer, Lawrence Kimathi, announced the sponsorship during Wednesday's Pro-Am event.
Kimathi said, 'Golf is a sport that enjoys continued popularity, one that combines a premium outdoor experience with a sporting challenge. This is just one reason why golf is one of the sports that KCB Bank has supported for many years.'
The Magical Kenya Ladies Open Championships, hosted by the Ladies European Tour (LET), is the first time the event is being held in the East African region. The tournament is also presented by Safaricom's Mpesa and the Kenya Tourism Board under their Magical Kenya Brand.
