Spain’s Jorge Campillo produced an impressive final round of five under par 66 to beat Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura by two shots to claim the 2023 Magical Kenya Open title at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course on Sunday.
The 36-year-old Campillo, who first participated in the Kenya Open in 2011 also held at Muthaiga Golf Club, made a strong start, firing in four birdies at the front nine’s fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth.
Jorge Campillo of Spain poses with the title after winning the Magical Kenya Open on March 12, 2023 Muthaiga Golf Club.
Photo credit: Sila Kipalgat | Nation Media Group
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi (right) hands over the title to Spain’s Jorge Campillo after winning the Magical Kenya Open on March 12, 2023 at the Muthaiga Golf Club.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
He set off for the back nine with a birdie at the 10th, but this did not put him off as he was able to par the rest up to the 17th where he made a birdie, to complete a final round five under par and an all rounds total of 18 under par 266.
He went home with the trophy plus the top cash prize of about Sh43,520,000. He becomes the second Spaniard to win the Open after Seve Ballesteros.
“It’s always nice to win and it is a nice feeling. It’s an even nicer feeling to win a golf tournament. Not much, you can still always have a big number on a hole and lose a golf tournament. I was trying to be focused all the way.
Jorge Campillo of Spain tees off from hole three during the Magical Kenya Open on March 12, 2023 at the Muthaiga Golf Club.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
Thank God it was a five iron off the tee, it was such an easy tee shot. If Masahiro made eagle, I’d still have to par to win the golf tournament, so it wasn’t done. I was trying to focus and finish good,” said the new Magical Kenya Open Champion.
“It’s hard to put my name with those names. With where I’m from, the little town I’m from. I’m very proud. It’s always nice to win a golf tournament, but if you have a name on the trophy with Seve Ballesteros, it’s more special for a Spaniard,” he added.
For the four days, Campillo made a total of 23 birdies against five bogeys translating to almost a bogey per round.
Meanwhile, the 29-year Kawamura dropped only one shot at the 13th where a BMW X5 worth Sh24million was at stake for a hole in one.
He managed to produce birdies on the third, fourth, fifth and at the back nine’s 10th, 15th and 18th to sign for a five under par 66 and an aggregate of 16 under par 268 plus a pay cheque of 220.000 US dollars.
Tying for third place on 15 under par 269 was 20-year-old Ryo Hisatsune also from Japan, who shot six under par 65 for a total of 269, same AS Spain’s Santiago Tarrio on 66 also for a total of 269.
The two each one took home 113,000 US dollars.
Hisatsune birdied the first, fourth, sixth, 10th, 14th, 17th and the last hole, all against one bogey, while Tarrio bogeyed the eighth, but managed to roll in a total of six birdies four of them at the back nine.
A total of 79 players out of the field of 156 had made the second round cut including Kenya’s Mutahi Kibugu following in the footsteps of his young brother Njoroge Kibugu who made the cut in the 2022 tournament.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi represented President William Ruto during the prize giving ceremony.
Jorge Campillo (Spa) 69, 68, 63, 66= 266
Masahiro Kawamura(Jap) 67, 67, 68, 66=268
Santiago Tarrio (Sp) 71, 68, 64, 66= 269
Ryo Hesatsune(Jap) 70, 63, 71, 65= 269
Lucas Nemecz(Aut) 67, 68, 69, 66=270
Borjo Virto (Sp) 66, 68, 70, 66= 270
