Phillip Kasozi will become the first Ugandan ever to compete on the PGA European Tour when he plays at the Kenya Open starting Thursday.
The 35-year-old will take his own slice of history when he walks to tee-off with Austrian Martin Wiegele and American David Cooke at Hole No.10 at the par-72 Karen Country Club in Nairobi at 1:40pm.
Kasozi is here after he endured the 12-event circuit to Safari Golf Tour in Kenya to qualify for the Open.
“This is just the beginning,” Kasozi remarked after qualifying for the Kenya Open on February 27.
Now ranked 11th in East Africa, Kasozi’s prime target is to make the cut after Day Two at the showpiece whose kitty is $1.24m.
“I am ready,” Kasozi said after practice rounds early this week. “The greens are tough, hard and fast but they are manageable,” he stated.
Kasozi has already mingled with some of golf’s top names during time at Karen such as former Ryder captain Thomas Bjørn. “It’s good to be with guys that you always see on television.”
There is however no cultural shock in a way for the 2012 Uganda Amateur Open champion. The odds indicate Kasozi’s chance of winning the Open stand at 717.5 but he’s focused making the cut.
“It’s a long week and I am ready. I have not been to a golf tournament like this one before but it’s not the end. I am just going to play golf,” he added.
In the 140-man field, there is defending champion Italian Lorenzo Gagli and Dainsh Bjørn in pursuit of the newly designed Red Jacket made by Kenyan fashion designer Nick Ondu and the biggest share of the purse that is at $204,570 (Shs760m).
2016 champion Swede Sebastian Soderberg and 2015 winner South African Haydn Porteous are also in the fray.
Kasozi at a glance
Date of birth: February 5, 1984
Started Golf: February, 2007
Turned pro: March, 2015
Full-time job: Professional Golfer
Best score: 63 gross at Uganda Golf Club
Favourite golf club: Black Mountain Golf Resort in Hua Hin, Thailand
Favourite ball: Titleist
Favourite golfer: Tiger Woods
Apparel: Titleist
Major Honours: Uganda Amateur Open (2012), Kinyara Open (2017), Entebbe Chairman’s Cup (2017), JBG Open (2018), Serena Kigo Open (2018)
Kenya Open
CAST OF WINNERS
2018: Lorenzo Gagli (ITA) -11
2017: Aaron Rai (ENG) -17
2016: Sebastian Söderberg (SWE) -18
2015: Haydn Porteous (RSA) -17
2014: Jake Roos (RSA) -10
2013: Jordi García Pinto (ESP) -12
2012: Seve Benson (ENG) -10
2011: Michiel Bothma (RSA) -14
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
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