• Why are there no Kenyans in the World Amateur Golf Ranking?

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Jan 18, 2011-

Kenya is yet to have a single World Amateur Golf Ranking-WAGR event - whilst South Africa has over 20 events - which explains why in 2010, there were four South Africans, ranked in the top 50 amateurs in the world, who had never played outside their borders.

Kenyan amateurs first collected WAGR points in Cairo, Egypt during the Africa Championships in 2009.  Borniface Simwa, who is currently enjoying good form, was second overall and topped the Kenyan table making a debut on the WAGR.   Misspelling of names can render this system frustrating as, for example, Collins Omondi, who was placed in the top 10 is yet to be ranked.

Later that year, Kenya sent a team to South Africa to play in the International Teams competition, which is also ranked. Then in 2010, the Kenya national team participated in the Botswana Open, prior to the Zone VI tournament and more points were gained for Simwa, Sullivan Muthugia and Stefan Andersen.

Both Andersen and Simwa have climbed up considerably in the WAGR, following their participation in Argentina, in the World Amateur Golf Championships 2010.  (http://wagr.randa.org)

Current WAGR Rankings for Kenya:

This     Last                    Name                         Div  Pts Av

19461968+22Stefan AndersenKEN17

392.86

41934215+22Borniface SimwaKEN10

89.29

43494376+27Sullivan MuthugiaKEN7

78.57



With few opportunities to travel outside Kenya, the elite golfers have a slim chance of climbing up the WAGR ladder.   But, if there were more 72 hole events in Kenya that were registered by the R&A; under the WAGR, more Kenyan players have a chance to be recognised.   After all, as an Olympic sport, golf has so much to benefit but there seems to be little if no vision to send or prepare the country’s best to the 2016 Rio Games in Brazil. 

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