He has made the most Kenya Open appearances. His 11 under par 61 is the best round ever recorded at Muthaiga Golf Club. He is the only Kenyan who has come close to winning their home Open.
Jacob Okello is hoping he can go one better in what is a landmark year for both himself and the Barclays Kenya Open, as they both turn 50 years old.
Born on Christmas Day in 1968 in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, Okello took up the game of golf aged five and has since gone on to represent Kenya in 20 editions of the Kenya Open.
After finishing as his country’s best amateur in the 1996 edition, Okello would go on to challenge for the title two years later.
With droves of locals following the then 30 year old around Muthaiga Golf Club, Okello did not disappoint and was in the driving seat with four holes of the tournament left to play.
A double bogey at the par three 15thdid derail his challenge, though, with an errant tee shot finding the thick rough – leaving Okello relieved to be walking away with only a five on his card.
Finishing on 12 under par, alongside Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez, Okello nearly held his nerve for what would have been the most famous of wins – but he came unstuck at the third play-off hole, with a bogey at the par three 13thproving to be his undoing.
A second-place finish did guarantee Okello a full season on the Challenge Tour the following year, but after also competing on the Sunshine Tour that runner-up finish still remains the best of his career to date.
Okello, who has been the manager of the golf club at Nairobi’s Ngong Racecourse since 2003, has gone on to challenge in tournaments since – he finished in the top five in the Kenya Open in both 2006 and 2007.
But since that fateful Sunday 20 years ago no Kenyan has come closer to winning their home Open – something Okello believes may change this week.
“I came really close in 1998,” he said. “It is very difficult to make it as a pro here in Kenya though. Once you are being sponsored and are playing well then that is fine – that is great. But the most important thing about this is to try and support our local players.
“This year we hope it will be good for all of us – we think we could be celebrating with a Kenyan winner! It is the mental strength which is so important. We Kenyans can hit the golf ball as well as any one but we need to believe we are also as strong mentally.
“It’s a very great milestone for all of us. It is an excellent thing which has happened to Kenya to host the event for 50 years, but we need to change the culture so that now we support our players to get them to the next level.”
