With the eyes of the golfing world trained on the year’s first Major, you might be surprised to hear that the Masters has a very strong historical link with the Barclays Kenya Open, in the shape of Messrs Seve Ballesteros, Trevor Immelman and Ian Woosnam.
All three have tasted success on Kenyan soil en route to slipping on a certain iconic green blazer, so we spoke to a few of the players in the field this week at Karen Country Club to find out their cherished – often childhood – memories of watching the action at Augusta National.
Justin Walters
“I spent a lot of time watching the Masters, even though it was difficult with the time difference in South Africa, as well as getting your parents to let you stay up and watch it. So a lot of the time I didn’t see it all live, but as I got older I grew a great affinity for that event, as it is the same venue every year and the history around it is unbelievable.
“I have always pulled for the South Africans, and every year we seem to have some guys up there, so it is a lovely event. I love the course, and I’ve been there two or three times, but not played it yet. Being there you see the undulations though, and you see how difficult it is and what the players need to overcome, and it makes for great TV.
Louis Oosthuizen celebrates holing out fir albatross at the par five second hole during the final round of the 2012 Masters Tournament
“The years that stand out are perhaps those where it didn’t quite work out for the South Africans. For example, when Louis (Oosthuizen) had his double eagle on the second a few years ago and barely lost in the play-off. That shot, I could watch it every day for the rest of my life and it will still give me goose bumps, so I’d say that was unbelievable, as well as Ernie coming close a few times.
“Phil Mickelson’s putt to win his first Major was also really cool too, and every year it seems to produce amazing moments and I’m looking forward to seeing what it produces this year.”
Max Orrin
“The first few years I wasn’t allowed to stay up, but the last three or four years I have watched it religiously. This year we might not get to watch too much because of the time difference, but we might see a little bit, and it would be great to maybe play there one day.
Tiger’s chip in on 16 – I remember watching that as a kid and it was such a goose bump moment.
“I was watching golf as a kid when Tiger was at his best and he was a great inspiration and the reason I wanted to play golf.
“The fact that Immelmann, Woosnam and Seve have all won the Kenya Open and gone on to win the Masters is a cool stat, and hopefully it all comes together for me this week, and then maybe one day I get to tee it up at Augusta.”
Daan Huizing
“Tiger chipping in on the 16th would be a stand out memory for me, and the Masters – alongside the Open – are the ones you always watch growing up as they were on the BBC. It is probably the coolest event to watch with the course and the mythical stories.
Tiger Woods celebrates after his dramatic chip in at the par three 16th during the final round of the 2005 Masters Tournament
“You watch the clips from the past too, and it is really a shame when it becomes real, and like Jordan Spieth said last year, you need to get the wow factor out the way and then treat it like a normal tournament, which is almost a bit of a shame. When you watch it is just so unique.”
All that remains to be seen now, over the coming years, is whether the man to master Karen Country Club this week will go on to similar such success as those Major Champions before him.
