Kenya

At least three former champions are expected back at Muthaiga Golf Club next week to try and re-claim the European Challenge Tour-sanctioned Kenya Open golf title.

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England’s Lee James and Ian Pyman, as well as Johan Axgren from Sweden, are among players listed for the 190,000 euro event. It is the second leg in the 2010 series and it started, as usual, with the Abierto International de golf Copa Antioqua in Colombia last month.

James returned to the Challenge Tour last year after losing his playing privileges on the main European Tour, although he won the Allianz Open Cotes d’Armor last year. A then Sameer Kenya Open winner in 2002 when he also won the Challenge Tour Order of Merit, he is in Category 1, for 2009/2010 Challenge Tour winners.

At the 2002 Kenya Open, he shot a perfect 19 under par 265 to equal the tournament’s record aggregate first set by Welshman James Lee in 1995 and equalled in 1999 by Dutchman Maarten Lafeber.

James, 37, has visited the European Tour School 14 times since turning professional in 1995 after he won the British Amateur Championship in 1994 and has been to several European Tours.

He made the top 10 in last year’s Tusker Kenya Open with a total of two under par 282 after a disappointing two over par 73 in the final round to tie with four others, including his countrymen Sam Walker and Ally Mellor.

A winner at Karen with 10 under par 270 in 2006, Axgren made it to the top 15 that year, having won two tournaments including the Open, but did not play well in the European Tour and made his way back to the Challenge. At Muthaiga last year, he shot two over par 286 to tie in 32nd. He is in Category 7, for 32nd and ties finishers in the 2009 Tour School.

Also in this category and on their way to Muthaiga are South Africans Louis Moolman and Michael Bothma. Moolman finished in the money list (tie 31) with Axgren and Argentina’s Rodolfo Gonzalez, among others, as Bothma shot 71 and 76 to miss the cut. Bothma however started the year well and is ranked sixth in the Sunshine Tour where Moolman is 46th.

Pyman last year unsuccessfully pursued a back-to-back win, returning a seven over par 291 to finish even below Kenya’s Ajay Shah and John Kiondo.

American Vince Covello, who shot six under par 278 in Colombia to be third behind compatriot Nathan Smith and winner David Vanegas, is likely to be among the favourites.

Hosts Kenya will be represented by 26 players, including six amateurs, while eight are expected from South Africa.

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Source: Breaking News, Kenya