Magical Kenya Open: Chinese Wu Ashun takes crown
The Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship comes to a close at Muthaiga Country Club with Chinese golfer Wu Ashun taking the top prize of Ksh37M.
Kenya's Njoroge Kibugu carded six over par 77 for four rounds of two over par 286 to finish the event 64th overall. Apparently, Kibugu was the only Kenyan left standing in the event making the cut on Day 2 of the 4-day strokeplay championship.
Wu on the other hand became the first Chinese player to win Kenya’s national open, over and above, the first Asian winner. The 36-year-old entered the final day at Muthaiga Golf Club four shots off the lead but never looked back after making four birdies in a row from the seventh, signing for a closing 65 and a 16 under par total.
Wu, a two-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, will move up to sixth on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex after triumphing in his 158th appearance with his wife and 13-week-old baby watching on in Nairobi. "It's a big celebration, I'm so happy with my family here," he said.
"It's a very, very good feeling today to win a championship. It was very tough today, I played very, very well today and made seven birdies."
"Today I was four shots behind and still playing to my plan. Five under was my goal today and after ten holes I had a good feeling and I told myself I'll keep playing and make a couple of birdies and it's fine. My short game was good today also, I saved a couple of pars, my putting was good to make birdies on the 17th and 18th, I'm happy." Wu said in an interview.
Wu became the third Chinese winner in DP World Tour history when he won the 2015 Volvo China Open and since then he has added wins in Austria and the Netherlands, with this win moving him two victories ahead of countryman Li Haotong.
Ashun has now extended his record as the most successful Chinese player in the history of the Tour, with four wins – two clear of Li Haotong, Liang Wenchong and Zhang Lianwei who have one win each.
Wu was awarded the prestigious trophy by President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Hurley Long of Germany, Thriston Lawrence of South Africa and Aaron Cockerill of Canada emerged joint second on 12 under par 279. They each went home Ksh 24 million richer.
