Ex-Wiltshire county captain Jeremy Tomlinson at the 2002 Wiltshire Amateur Championship at Hamptworth Golf & Country Club. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

ENGLAND Golf chief executive Jeremy Tomlinson has penned a second letter to golf club members across the country about the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak affecting thousands of members.

APRIL is the month when traditionally many golfers and their clubs come out of hibernation.

The clocks have changed, the weather improves and The Masters whets the appetite for a new season.

I’m no different to every other golfer in England who loves this great game of ours.

Normally I’d be looking forward to this weekend’s County Foursomes at Chippenham Golf Club.

In a fortnight, myself, colleagues and many friends from clubs around Wiltshire would be ready for the county championships at Tidworth Golf Club.

I’d have been cramming for these ‘exams’, playing with my friends at Marlborough Golf Club and trying to shake off the winter rust.

Instead, we have all been living through difficult times and golf courses remain closed as we all play our part by staying at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

However, golf WILL return. We will get to enjoy our sport again, our friendships, our rivalries and experience all the highs and lows that come as part and parcel of this wonderful game.

Since the shutdown on March 23, the sacrifices we have all made in our daily lives have helped to play a part in a huge national effort to combat COVID-19.

The way everyone in golf has rallied together in these uncertain times fills me with great optimism for the future.

Now is the time for us all to keep the faith and see this through until the end.

Behind scenes work to ensure golf returns at ‘earliest opportunity’

England chief executive Jeremy Tomlinson has led efforts to get courses reopened by working with the Government

The way golf clubs and golfers have played their part at a time of national crisis has been exemplary.

The spirit shown has reinforced just why this game is so precious to so many.

At England Golf, we made the responsible call to close courses and we are unwavering in this decision.

This is a stance made in the national interest and validated by government.

Throughout these challenging times, England Golf has collaborated like never before with our colleagues in golf administration and presented a united front during many conversations with government.

This collective approach has continued this week as we work with the Government to try and find the right conditions under which golf can return.

‘Play Safe, Stay Safe’ is the message and, as mentioned in my letter last week, proposed guidelines to prepare for when golf returns will soon be sent out to all clubs and counties.

I would like to thank everyone who has dealt with the frustrations of the last five weeks by acting to save lives.

We must continue to do the right thing in the belief that when it is safe for golf to return, we can look back with pride at how our community of golfers handled a situation that turned our sporting world on its head.

Please remain optimistic, keep the faith as we will Play Safe and Stay Safe on the fairways together again soon.

Jeremy Tomlinson
Chief Executive, England Golf

TOMLINSON TO FOLLOW WILTSHIRE WAY AS ENGLAND GOLF BOSS

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The 2020 Masters winner will don the famous Green Jacket in November instead of April after the main Tours agreed a new set of dates for the Majors – although The Open is off

THE Masters will be rescheduled to November it was announced this afternoon – just minutes after it was confirmed the 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s will now take place at Sandwich in 2021.

And the US Open is moving to September six weeks after the PGA of America hopes to stage the USPGA at San Francisco’s TPC Harding Park in light of coronavirus pandemic, spreading across the USA.

The PGA Tour is looking to reschedule three of its events in June, July and early August, allowing for the FedEx Play-offs to be played as planned in August.

Both the PGA of America and the European Tour have confirmed the Ryder Cup will be played – if possible – at Whistling Straits, in Wisconsin, from September 25-27, as originally planned.

But the rescheduling means the world’s top golfers could be left playing five weeks in a row – from the USPGA until the climax to the FedEx play-offs at the Tour Championsip, at Eastlake, from September 4-7.

The US Open will be played after a week off, with the leading Americans and Euoropeans heading from New York to Wisconsin for the Ryder Cup.

The unprecedented game of musical chairs was confirmed after weeks of speculation in joint statement issued by Augusta National Golf Club, the European Tour, the LPGA, PGA of America, PGA Tour, The R&A and USGA.

A joint statement issued by the seven organisations on Monday afternoon read: “This is a difficult and challenging time for everyone coping with the effects of this pandemic.

“We remain very mindful of the obstacles ahead, and each organization will continue to follow the guidance of the leading public health authorities, conducting competitions only if it is safe and responsible to do so.

“In recent weeks, the global golf community has come together to collectively put forward a calendar of events that will, we hope, serve to entertain and inspire golf fans around the world.

“We are grateful to our respective partners, sponsors and players, who have allowed us to make decisions – some of them, very tough decisions – in order to move the game and the industry forward.

“We want to reiterate that Augusta National Golf Club, European Tour, LPGA, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, The R&A and USGA collectively value the health and well-being of everyone, within the game of golf and beyond, above all else.

“We encourage everyone to follow all responsible precautions and make effort to remain healthy and safe.”

US Open set to stay at Winged Foot

THE US Open, previously scheduled for June 18-21 at Winged Foot, in Mamaroneck, has been officially rescheduled for September 17-20.

United States Golf Association chief executive Mike Davis confirmed the USGA’s preference to keep the US Open in New York, which has borne the brunt of the wave of COVID-19 deaths in America over the past week.

Mr David said: “We are hopeful that postponing the championship will offer us the opportunity to mitigate health and safety issues while still providing us with the best opportunity to conduct the U.S. Open this year.

“We are incredibly thankful to the membership and staff at Winged Foot for their flexibility and support.

“We are also grateful for the wonderful collaboration among the professional tours and other majors in working through a complicated schedule.”

A statement from the game’s governing body in North America, read: “The USGA is currently evaluating how the postponement will affect exemption categories, and definitive changes will be communicated as soon as possible.

“As previously announced, the USGA will strive to conduct qualifying that fits health and safety guidelines while accommodating the rescheduled championship dates.”

The USGA is set to announce details of US Open Qualifying. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

‘Golf can help world recover from COVID-19’

PGA of America chief executive Seth Waugh also believes golf has an important role to play as the world tries to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

“Sports, and particularly the game of golf, are important vehicles for healing and hope,” said Mr Waugh who confirmed the USPGA – which had seen its early May slot cancelled shortly after the decision to cancel April’s Masters was made – will now move to the first week in August.

“With the help of the City and County of San Francisco, our friends at the PGA Tour, and our partners CBS Sports and ESPN, we are holding August 3-9 as dates for a rescheduled 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park,” Seth Waugh added.

“We will continue to follow the guidance of public health officials, but are hopeful that it will be safe and responsible to conduct the PGA Championship in August and the Ryder Cup as planned, from September 22-27, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, with our NBC Sports partners.

“With our country going through extremely difficult times, it will be an honour for all of us at the PGA of America to hopefully help turn a page in August, with the PGA Championship, and September with the Ryder Cup.”

The men’s golf championship at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games was due to be played the week before but its cancellation allowed the USPGA to move into what had been a free week on the PGA Tour schedule.

The Masters will move to a date in the autumn which will be a first for Augusta

Augusta National: ‘Masters can bring moment of joy’

THE Masters was the first Major of 2020 to be postponed, and the event founded by Bobby Jones last failed to be played back in 1945 because of the war.

The host club were determined to try to avoid that and the new autumn date will be a first – providing the grip the coronavirus pandemic has Stateside abates by then.

Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley said: “We remain very mindful of the extraordinary and unprecedented challenges presented by the coronavirus around the world.

“As such, we continue to keep in close contact with local, state and national health authorities to help inform our decisions.

“In collaboration with the leading organisations in golf, Augusta National Golf Club has identified November 9-15 as the intended dates to host the 2020 Masters.

“While more details will be shared in the weeks and months to come, we, like all of you, will continue to focus on all mandated precautions and guidelines to fight against the coronavirus.

“Along the way, we hope the anticipation of staging the Masters Tournament in the fall brings a moment of joy to the Augusta community and all those who love the sport.

“We want to emphasise that our future plans are incumbent upon favourable counsel and direction from health officials.

“Provided that occurs and we can conduct the 2020 Masters, we intend to invite those professionals and amateurs who would have qualified for our original April date – and welcome all existing ticketholders to enjoy the excitement of Masters week.

“After careful consideration and following an extensive review process, we also have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

“Ultimately, the many scheduling challenges with NCAA tournaments, the World Amateur Team Championships, the LPGA Q-Series and other events when women’s amateur golf resumes led to this decision.

“Each player who accepted an invitation for the 2020 championship will be invited to compete in the 2021 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, provided she remains an amateur.

“Also, those who purchased tickets will be sent a refund in May and given the opportunity to purchase tickets for the event next year.

“We thank everyone for their understanding of this decision, and we look forward to the championship returning in full strength next spring.

“We know the effects of these announcements will be far-reaching.

“Additional information will be made available on Masters.com and ANWAgolf.com as details become known. Your patience is appreciated as we hope and plan for the 84th Masters in November.

“Thank you for your continued support and we wish you and your loved ones health and safety during these uncertain times.”

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The 2020 Open Championship at Royal St George’s has been cancelled – the Claret Jug will return to Sandwich in July 2021. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

THE R&A has cancelled The 149th Open at Royal St George’s in 2020 because of the current COVID-19 crisis – the championship will now be played at Sandwich in 2021, instead.

The Open was due to be staged in Kent from July 12-19, but following guidance – from the UK Government, the health authorities, public services and The R&A’s advisers – the decision was taken to pull the plug on staging the world’s oldest Major in 2020.

The move followed more than a week of intense speculation while the game’s governing body weighed up its options during the coronavirus pandemic.

It is the first time since the Second World War that golf’s original championship, first played in 1860, has been cancelled – following on from Augusta National’s decision last month to cancel this week’s Masters for the first time since WWII.

The decision piles on the pressure on the other two Majors in the 2020 calendar, which are all under threat – including June’s US Open at Winged Foot, and the USPGA, which has been suggested could move to early August, in the slot vacated by the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics.

Talks have been going on for past week and on Friday The R&A said it was still reviewing its options.

A shift to a date in September prior to the Ryder Cup – considered the most likely option given the current Government lockdown to beat the COVID-19 crisis could last until the early summer – was finally discounted.

The R&A stressed its plan now is to hold the 149^th Open at Royal St George’s from July 15-18, 2021 leaving the stage set for the 150^th Open to go ahead at St Andrews, from July 14-17, in 2022 – when the awarding of the Claret Jug and the Gold Medal celebrates a special milestone in golf’s history.

R&A: First priority is protect health

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “Our absolute priority is to protect the health and safety of the fans, players, officials, volunteers and staff involved in The Open.

“We care deeply about this historic championship and have made this decision with a heavy heart.

“We appreciate this will be disappointing for a great many people around the world, but this pandemic is severely affecting the UK and we have to act responsibly. It is the right thing to do.

“I can assure everyone that we have explored every option for playing The Open this year but it is not going to be possible.

“There are many different considerations that go into organising a major sporting event of this scale.

“We rely on the support of the emergency services, local authorities and a range of other organisations to stage the championship and it would be unreasonable to place any additional demands on them when they have far more urgent priorities to deal with.

“In recent weeks we have been working closely with those organisations as well as Royal St George’s, St Andrews Links Trust and the other golf bodies to resolve the remaining external factors – and have done so as soon as we possibly could.

“We are grateful to all of them for their assistance and co-operation throughout this process.

“Most of all I would like to thank our fans around the world and all of our partners for their support and understanding.

“At a difficult time like this, we have to recognise that sport must stand aside to let people focus on keeping themselves and their families healthy and safe.

“We are committed to supporting our wider community in the weeks and months ahead and will do everything in our power to help golf come through this crisis.”

Ireland’s James Sugrue, who won the 2019 Amateur Championship at Portmarnock – the R&A is waiting to decide if the 2020 championship can take place at Royal Birkdale, after the June date was postponed in March. Picture by THE R&A / GETTY IMAGES

Senior Open at Sunningdale ‘under review’

THE R&A’s remaining professional and amateur championships are also under review because of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

They include the Senior Open at Sunningdale, in August, and The Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale and West Lancashire, which has been put back from its traditional June date, as well as the Women’s Amateur Championship and the Senior Amateur.

The R&A also organises the AIG Women’s British Open, which is set to be played at Royal Troon, in August, and which must also be in doubt now.

The British Boys Championship, held in August, is the R&A’s top junior event along with the Boys Home Internationals and The Girls Amateur, which has already been postponed from its July date.

Great Britain & Ireland are also due to face Continental Europe in the St Andrews Trophy, which the R&A organises alongside the European Golf Associtaion, while the juniors are due to contest the annual Jacques Leglisle Trophy, also in August.

Updates will be given on any further changes, an R&A spokesman added.

R&A will transfer tickets to 2021

THE R&A will transfer over tickets and hospitality packages purchased for the 2020 championship at Royal St George’s to The Open in 2021.

Purchasers who no longer wish to – or are no longer able to – attend in 2021 – whether as a result of the COVID-19 crisis or not – will receive a full refund.

Further information on the arrangements will be sent directly to ticket and hospitality purchasers in due course, said the R&A spokesman.

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The R&A has revealed they are drawing up contingency plans for the 149th Open at Royal St George’s, in Sandwich, in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN

THE R&A are working on contingency plans in case the Open at Royal St George’s – and the Women’s British Open at Royal Troon – are unable to be played on their planned dates.

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers ruled out the need to cancel the 149^th Open Championship at Sandwich this early – even though many major sporting events around the world have been scrapped this month because of the coronavirus outbreak.

But he did not rule it might become necessary in the coming weeks if the situation in the UK continues to worsen.

So far the season’s first two Majors – next month’s Masters and May’s United States Professional Golfers’ Association Championship – have been postponed.

And the R&A said in a statement released on Thursday afternoon: “We are undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of our plans to stage the 149th Open at Royal St George’s, and the AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon, which are four and five months away respectively.

“This includes examining a range of scenarios for staging the championships, with our focus on proceeding as planned, as well as considering other contingency options available to us.”

R&A chief Mr Slumbers said: “Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety of players, fans, officials, staff and all involved in our championships and that will be at the forefront of our thinking as we monitor developments.

“We have some time before we start building the infrastructure at both venues and so we are keeping the scheduled dates in place for The Open and AIG Women’s British Open at this point.

“We recognise that this is a rapidly changing situation and we will keep everyone informed of any changes to our plans.

“These are difficult times but we are bearing in mind our responsibility for what’s right for golf and most importantly for society.”

The Open is due to be held from July 16-19, while the Women’s British Open is due to be played at Royal Troon, from August 20-23.

R&A Student Finals & Girls U16s off

THE R&A has announced that its recently-created Student Tour Series Finals, and the Girls U16 Amateur Championship – scheduled to be played at Fulford, at the end of April – have both been cancelled.

And while no other amateur events run by the R&A – including the Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale, and the Women’s Amateur, at Kilmarnock (Barassie) both scheduled for June, and the British Boys, at Moortown, in August – are under review.

The R&A statement said: “We have contacted all those involved. We will keep the status of the rest of the amateur championship season under review.

The R&A’s move comes in a week which was seen the 2020 Masters postponed – the first time Augusta National Golf Club has been forced to make such a decision since 1945 at the end of the Second World War.

The town of Augusta, whose population touches 200,000  but almost doubles during the week of The Masters, is believed to received a $120million boost.

The R&A recently revealed a series of financial grants from their Open Legacy Fund worth £100,000 to the town of Sandwich to help mark the 15th time The Open will have been contested at Royal St George’s – as well as once at neighbouring Prince’s Golf Club , in 1932.

And research estimates the arrival of the Claret Jug at the host club brings annually an estimated £100million in direct and indirect economic benefits to the area.

The R&A plans to invest £200million in developing golf over the next decade, with the profits from the two Majors under its control, vital to that work.

USGA cancel US Open regional qualifiers

THE USGA have cancelled the first regional qualifying rounds of the US Open, which is set to be held at Winged Foot, in New York, from June 18-21.

And fears are growing that the third Major event of the 2020 calendar, could be postponed along with the Masters and the USPGA, at San Francisco’s TPC Harding Park, from May 7-10.

With more severe restrictions currently in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the USA than in the UK, golf fans will be desperate that the US Open and Open Championship are able to go ahead on their original dates.

Talk of the Masters being rescheduled for October, continues, but with no confirmation from Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Riley yet, the difficulty of finding a date after the Ryder Cup is due to be held at Whistling Straits, in late September, remains.

The PGA Tour may have to persuade one of its sponsors of the early wrap around season events to stand aside and with the growing economic problems from the coronavirus epidemic, that could entail some very delicate discussions.

Italy’s Francesca Fiorellini – the 2019 R&A Girls U16 Amateur Champion at Fulford. The 2020 championship at the York club has been cancelled. Picture by THE R&A / GETTY IMAGES

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The European Tour has called off next week’s Magical Kenya Open after talks with the African country’s government because of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

THE European Tour has cancelled its third tournament as the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) claimed the Magical Kenya Open as the latest sporting event to be cancelled.

The Government of Kenya announched its decision today (Friday) to postpone all meetings and conferences of an international nature in the country.

With the numbers of people infected with Coronavirus outside of China, continuing to grow daily, the Magical Kenya Open – presented by sponsors Absa – which was scheduled to take place at the Karen Country Club, in Nairobi, next week (March 12-15), will now not take place.

The European and Asian Tour announced that April’s Maybank Championship in Malaysia, and the Volvo China Open, were being postponed because of the Coronavirus outbreak, in the middle of February.

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “We understand and totally respect the decision made by the Government of Kenya in these difficult times.

“We are looking into the possibility of rescheduling the tournament at some point later in the season, but that remains simply a possibility right now – we have no definitive plans at this stage.

“I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank president Uhuru Kenyatta and the Kenyan Government for their unwavering support, alongside Kenya Open Golf chairman Peter Kanyago and tournament director Patrick Obath for their strenuous efforts and commitment.

“We look forward to returning to Kenya in due course.”

The suspension of international events by the Kenyan government will be reviewed in a month’s time.

But with Pelley admitting it was only a possibility the Kenyan Open could rescheduled, European Tour players who are not in the world’s top 50 – and therefore exempt on the PGA Tour – face a dearth of golf over the next two months.

There are now no European Tour events scheduled for five weeks in a row – including the week of The Masters at Augusta (April 91-12) – starting from the World Golf Championship World Match Play Championship, in Austin, Texas, in the last week of March (25-29).

After this week’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, the next European Tour event is scheduled to be the Hero Indian Open, from March 19-22 – but then there is no tournament until the Estrella Damm NA Andalucia Masters, at Valderrama, from April 30-May 3.

The original 2020 European Tour schedule comprised 44 events including the four Majors, plus the Ryder Cup against the USA at Whistlling Straits, in Wisconsin, in September.

•To see the full European Tour schedule click here.

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Tiger Woods holds the Masters Trophy after claiming his fifth Green Jacket at Augusta National. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

TIGER Woods completed one of the most incredible comebacks in sporting history to win an emotional 15th Major Championship by one shot at the Masters Tournament.

The American’s last Major title came at the U.S. Open 11 years ago and since then he has undergone numerous back surgeries, falling to 1,199th in the Official World Golf Ranking just 17 months ago.

Tiger, who finished on 13-under with a bogey five at the last, said: “It’s just unreal. The whole tournament has meant so much to me over the years.

“Coming here in ’95 for the first time and being able to play as an amateur, winning in ’97, and then coming full circle, 22 years later, to be able to do it again, and just the way it all transpired today.

“There were so many different scenarios that could have transpired on that back nine.  There were so many guys that had a chance to win.

“The leaderboard was absolutely packed and everyone was playing well.  You couldn’t have had more drama than we all had out there, and now I know why I’m balding.  This stuff is hard.

“Just to come back here and play as well as I did.  This has meant so much to me and my family, this tournament, and to have everyone here, it’s something I’ll never, ever forget.”

A return to fitness and form in 2018 hinted at what was to come, and a closing 70 at Augusta National Golf Club secured a fifth Green Jacket at the scene where he burst onto the world stage in 1997.

Woods’ record 12-shot victory 22 years ago set in motion a remarkable run of dominance at the top of the game, and the 43-year-old will now once again have his sights set on Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 Major Championships,

He has followed Nicklaus to become just the second player to win the Masters in three different decades, and to win Major Championships 20 or more years apart.

Woods had been two shots clear standing on the 18^th tee, but despite a bogey on the last, wild celebrations followed his final putt, which took him to 13-under and one ahead of countrymen Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele, who was making just his second appearance at The Masters.

Schauffle, who won the 2017 Tour Championship at East Lake, in Georgia, as a rookie and then claimed the HSBC World Championship in Shanghai last  year, said: “It was an awesome experience, first off.

“What I witnessed – I know it’s what everyone is going to talk about. It’s hard to really feel bad about how I played, because I just witnessed history.

“It was really cool coming down the stretch, all the historic holes, Amen Corner, 15, 16, Tiger making the roars.

“I was trying to push myself, but I feel like I got a very full Masters experience here in my second year. I’m not one bit sad. I told my caddie on the last hole that we just proved to ourselves that we can win on this property.”

Overnight leader Francesco Molinari had been right in the mix before finding water twice on the back nine, and the Race to Dubai Champion finished at 11-under alongside Australian Jason Day and Americans Tony Finau and Webb Simpson.

Italy’s European No. 1 put the disappointment around Amen Corner down to the challenging swirling wind which the par three 12th is renowned for, and where he put the ball in the water, before finding the aqua again on the par five 15th.

Molinari said: “It was just a bad execution. We picked the right shot and just didn’t hit it hard enough, simple as that. It was tough today with the wind gusting.

“I managed to scramble well on the front nine. Just had a couple of mental lapses on the back nine, which were costly.

“It’s great to see Tiger doing well. The way he was playing last year, I think we all knew it was coming sooner or later.

“Maybe next time would have been better for me, but it was nice to be out with him, he played well, hit the right shots at the right time and he deserved to win.

“It doesn’t change what I do, I don’t change the way I prepare for Majors. I believe the way I prepare for tournaments is the best way. I’ll just keep doing the same and hopefully I get a bit more luck next time.”

Spain’s Jon Rahm was a shot further back in a tie for ninth place alongside Americans Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson.

The next Majors are both at venue’s where Woods has already claimed a Major – May sees the USPGA switch from its August date and will head to New York’s Bethpage Park’s Black course, the scene of his 2002 US Open victory.

And in June, Tiger will head back to Pebble Beach, where he famously was the only player under par when winning the US Open by a record 15 shots in 2000 the first leg of his famous Tiger Slam where he won four Majors in a row, culminating at the 2001 Augusta Masters.

Earlier this year Tiger was a 25/1 shot to win two Majors in 2019.

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Commercial Bank Qatar Masters winner Justin Harding is looking for a second title in a row at the Magical Kenya Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JUSTIN Harding is looking to win back-to-back titles on three different golf tours by claiming victory at the Magical Kenya Open this week.

The South African, who won on the European Tour for the first time at last week’s Qatar Masters, has triumphed on five occasions in the last ten months, with back-to-back victories coming on both the Sunshine Tour, and the Asian Tour, last summer.

Such a remarkable run has catapulted the 33-year-old, who has won 11 professional titles worldwide, from outside the top 500 in the world to World No. 52 over the course of 12 months, leaving Harding with a good chance of qualifying for next month’s Masters Tournament.

Harding said: “It would have been an unbelievable thought 12 months ago to think that I’d have a chance of qualifying for Augusta. I have to pinch myself now when I think about it. I still have to take it a week at a time though and see if we can maybe get there.

“I was here last year for the Karen Masters, a Sunshine Tour event, and it is a lovely little golf course which is old school and very strategic. You will probably find the guys are going to make a bunch of birdies, and I am looking forward to this week.

“I don’t know how it [winning back-to-back twice] worked out like that. I have been playing really consistent golf and have managed to put myself into position on several Sundays then managed to get it right.

“Hopefully we can put three rounds together again and then go out and make some birdies on Sunday to be in contention again.”

Also in the field this week is the triumphant 2018 Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn, who returns to Nairobi for the first time in 24 years since finishing as a runner-up in the 1995 edition of the long-running event  – which celebrates its 51st anniversary by hosting a European Tour tournament for the first time.

The captain of Europe’s record Ryder Cup winning team against America at Le Paris National in September said “I have really good memories of Kenya.

“It is very different coming back now as I’m a lot older, and a lot more has happened, but I have good memories from coming here in 1995 as a 24-year-old.

“I always felt like I wanted to come back, and now there was an opportunity for me to do so, so it’s great to be here. I am really looking forward to the week.

“As a Dane it is also really interesting coming here because of the name of Karen Country Club and it’s heritage and association with Karen Blixen.

“When I grew up in Denmark I went to see the Karen Blixen museum in Copenhagen, and there has always been a relationship between Danes and this place – which is quite interesting.

“It’s not something that a lot of people think about but for us when we come here we definitely feel a connection with the place.

“Kenya has so much to offer and although the main focus is playing in the golf tournament, I am trying to take in a bit more of what this place has to offer.”

Three of the last four Kenya Open champions all return to the Kenyan capital – South Africa’s Haydn Porteous, Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg and Italy’s Lorenzo Gagli.

Porteous said: “Coming back to the place where I had my first win as a professional means I have lots of sweet memories. I feel at home being back in Africa.

“There’s the same altitude, the same grass and hopefully we’ll have the same result this week.

“It was important for me to not only win as a professional, but to also win against some of Europe’s best on the Challenge Tour.

“I feel that I grew a lot as a player after that and it gave me the confidence to move on to the European Tour – I would credit that victory with helping me to become a multiple winner on the European Tour.”

Gagli will look to defend the title he lifted at neighbouring Muthaiga Golf Club 12 months ago, when the event was part of the European Challenge Tour’s International Schedule.

The Italian said: “It’s amazing to come back to Kenya. I have a lot of good memories from last year so I’m really excited to play here again.

“The prize giving was really fun last year, there was a lot of people and the president of Kenya, it was really special to be there.

“I love Kenya and Africa. The people are amazing here.”

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