The fourth edition of Kenya Ladies Open golf tournament is set to be held at the 18-hole Baobab Golf Course at Vipingo Ridge,Kilifi County.
The tournament is set to be held on 8th-11th February.
Just like in previous editions Kenya Ladies Open – billed as one of if not the only one prestigious women’s golf tournament in the region – will serve as the season-opener for the 2024 Ladies European Tour (LET) calendar.
Entries for the tournament opened on the 1st of January with a field of 108 players expected to compete over four days for a share of the €300,000 in prize money.
Defending champion Aditi Ashok from India is expected to defend her title this year.
Already notable names have given notice on their prticipation in this years Open. Leading the line is German Alexandra Försterling who won the 2023 VP Bank Swiss Ladies Openand the 2023 Mallorca Ladies Open, the 2023 Amundi German Masters champion Kristýna Napoleaová from Czech Republic, 2023 MKLO runner-up Alice Hewson from England, third-place finisher April Angurasaranee from Thailand and last year’s hole-in-one sensation, Swedish Lisa Pettersson. Kenya’s top amateur golfer, Naomi Wafula, is expected to lead the Kenyan contingent, whose full line up is expected to be revealed in earnest.
Tournament directors expressed their optimism of hosting a succesful tournament that will seek to showcase golf talent.
“We’re thrilled about the return of the tournament, and the heightened level of competition is truly promising, considering the exceptional talents it attracts. This year’s edition is poised to shine in the LET season, spotlighting world-class talent against the stunning backdrop of Vipingo Ridge. With an expanded field size of 108 golfers, up from 96 in the previous edition, we anticipate another year of outstanding competition, building on the high standards set last year,” Said U.COM Event Managing Director Dirk Glittenberg.
On his part, Vipingo Ridge Founder Alastair Cavenagh said; “We are delighted to be hosting the MKLO for the 4th year. The event grows in stature with every year and serves to promote ladies golf in Kenya encouraging junior players from diverse backgrounds to take up the sport. We hope to see a Kenyan player on the tour permanently before too long. The MKLO is undoubtedly one of Kenya’s leading international sporting and we encourage spectators and golf enthusiasts to come and watch the action here at Vipingo Ridge Kilifi county from 8-11 February.”
The Ladies European Tour (LET) traverses a total of 20 countries featuring 31 events.
Season’s highlights include The Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Solheim Cup in Gainesville, Virginia, and the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews, which will be the final qualification event for the European Solheim Cup team.
After the stop in Kenya, the series will head to Saudi Arabia before going to Morocco for the prestigious Lalla Meryem Cup.
