News All Articles
Thrilling finish in store in Nairobi
News

Thrilling finish in store in Nairobi

The Magical Kenya Open presented by Absa was set for a dramatic finish as four players sat at the top of a congested leaderboard heading into the closing stages at Karen Country Club.

Guido Migliozzi

Adri Arnaus and Guido Migliozzi entered the final round leading at 14 under and they stayed there at the turn, with Louis de Jager and Kalle Samooja joining them at the summit having played ten holes.

India's Gaganjeet Bhullar was then at 13 under, a shot clear of last week's winner Justin Harding and Frenchman Romain Langasque.

The four leaders were all looking for their maiden European Tour victories as the event in Nairobi made a dramatic European Tour debut.

Bhullar put his tee shot to 15 feet on the par three second and a wonderful approach to closer range on the par four next meant he was in a tie for the lead.

Spaniard Arnaus went just over the back of the second green and failed to get up and down and, with Bhullar flying the fourth green off the tee and leaving his second in the rough for a double bogey, Migliozzi was the solo leader.

Samooja made a smart par save on the first and an 18 foot putt on the second had him within one of top spot, with playing partner De Jager dropping a shot on the same hole.

Arnaus then had a terrible piece of luck as his second shot at the third hit the flag and went off the green, leading to a bogey.

Finn Samooja had bogeyed the fourth in the first three rounds and he made it an unwanted full house on Sunday to hand Migliozzi a two shot lead.

That did not last for long after the Italian went over the back of the fourth off the tee and failed to get up and down.

De Jager hit a ragged tee shot on the fifth but played a remarkable second out of the trees and holed a long putt for an unlikely birdie and a share of the lead.

A stunning approach from Arnaus to four feet at the fifth made it a three way tie and there were four at the top when Bhullar made the most of the par five sixth.

De Jager did the same, however, and, after leading by four shots after 36 holes, the South African was back on top on his own.

Samooja also took advantage of the 552 yard hole, with Arnaus and Migliozzi making it five birdies out of five for the leading contenders and joining the lead.

Arnaus and Migliozzi both left themselves chips onto the green at the par four seventh and Migliozzi got up and down to move to 14 under as Arnaus missed a good chance from close range.

Samooja took advantage of the ninth and that would hand him a share of the lead as it was Migliozzi's turn to have some bad luck on the ninth.

With his ball nestling up against a tree trunk, he played the ball against the tree and gave himself a chance of an up and down but could not make his five foot par putt.

Bhullar had bogeyed the ninth but birdied the tenth, while Harding started with eight pars but birdied the ninth and 11th.

Langasque was five under for his round having played 12 holes.

Read next