Ugandan Phillip Kasozi will be the first Ugandan to ever play two events in a single season on the PGA European Tour when plays both the Kenya Open and Kenya Savannah Classic next month.
Kasozi will feature at both events whose prize money figures are $1.3m (Shs4.7b) each after he made the cut and finished 19th at the Karen Masters in Nairobi this week.
The Ugandan scored 19 points to finish with a collated 105.8 points on the 2020-2021 Safari Tour Series to take the third and last available ticket for non-Kenyans.
“It was too tough. The final field had over 80 players from all over and you had to be in the top 20 to make it since it had more points,” he said from Nairobi.
By making that grade on the Safari Tour behind 12 Kenyans, Zimbabwean Robson Chinhoi and Nigerian Andrew Odoh, Kasozi will now have a shot at both tournaments, with the Savannah Classic only recently newly added to the PGA European Tour.
The Kenya Open will take place at the Karen Country Club from March 18-21 two days before the Classic tees-off until March 26.
Featuring at both events is a historic moment for Kasozi. “I am not thinking about that, I am thinking about getting in to get results,” the 2012 Uganda Amateur Golf Open champion stated.
Does it mean this is not an achievement worthy of his attention? “It is, but personally have not even looked at it that way,” he explained.
Uganda’s best player at the Karen Masters however, was Ronald Rugumayo who tied in ninth place with an aggregate score of four-over 288.
SAFAR TOUR SERIES
2021 KAREN MASTERS - FINAL LEADERBOARD
1 Dismas Indiza (KEN) 68 69 67 66 270 -14
2 Robson Chinhoi (ZIM) 67 69 65 69 270 -14
3 Simon Ngige (KEN) 69 71 66 70 276 -8
4 Andrew Odoh (NIG) 66 70 73 70 279 -5
5 Visitor Mapwanya (ZIM) 68 73 70 69 280 -4
6 David Wakhu (KEN) 69 72 72 70 283 -1
7 C.J Wangai (KEN) 68 72 69 76 285 +1
8 Rizwan Charania (KEN) 69 73 71 73 286 +2
T9 Samuel Njoroge (KEN) 70 72 75 71 288 +4
T9 Ronald Rugumayo (UGA) 71 74 69 74 288 +4
15 Abbey Bagalana (UGA) 72 71 74 74 291 +7
19 Philip Kasozi (UGA) 72 73 75 78 298 +14
2020-21 SAFARI TOUR SERIES
FINAL STANDINGS - COLLATED POINTS
1 Dismas Indiza (KEN) 362 points
2 Robson Chinhoi* (ZIM) 341.8
3 Greg Snow (KEN) 322.2
4 Simon Ngige (KEN) 316.5
5 David Wakhu (KEN) 302
6 Erick Obura (KEN) 252.9
7 John Wangai (KEN) 229.2
8 Samuel Njoroge (KEN) 225.7
9 Jastas Madoya (KEN) 196.7
10 Edwin Inana (KEN) 185
11 Rizwan Charania (KEN) 142.3
12 Mathew Omondi (KEN) 135.9
13 Jacob Okello (KEN) 134.4
16 Andrew Odoh* (NIG) 112.4
18 Phillip Kasozi* (UGA) 105.8
20 Deo Akope (UGA) 99.2
23 Abbey Bagalana (UGA) 68.6
44 Willy Kitata (UGA) 12.4
49 Dennis Anguyo (UGA) 9.4
* Denotes a non-Kenyan to play the Kenya Open
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This writer is a global broadcaster and as well scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and sports presenter with Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune