The Ladies European Tour (LET) is a global tour with world-class players who inspire fans across the globe.
Vipingo Ridge has hosted the Ladies European Tour for four years. The PGA Baobab Course is a recognised championship course. Many of the events are televised worldwide, including the Kenya event, bringing an international audience to Vipingo Ridge.
In 2024 the tour returned, as the start of a 20-country Ladies European Tour (LET) with 31 events overall in 2024.
After a successful debut in 2019, the Magical Kenya Ladies Open in February 2022 and 2023 did not disappoint and Vipingo Ridge is a globally recognised championship course.
The third Magical Kenya Ladies Open at Vipingo Ridge in 2023 was ground breaking in Kenya. For the first time a Kenyan golfer made the cut, playing through to the Sunday. In the 2024 event rookie Shannon Tan took the trophy, her win also marking a first for her home country Singapore.
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The Ladies European Tour returns to Vipingo Ridge for the fourth time in 2024.
Naomi Wafula Makes History
Naomi Wafula has become the first Kenyan to ever make the cut at a Ladies European Tour event after returning a score of 3-over par, 76, in Round Two of the 2023 Magical Kenya Ladies Open.
Her second day results take her gross score to 9-over par, 155, earning her a commendable slot to play through the weekend for a stake of the 300,000 Euros prize fund.
This is the third appearance for Naomi, Kenya’s top female amateur and Vipingo Ridge’s PGA Academy star student, at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open having failed to make the cut in 2019 and 2022.
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Naomi, who finished her round at around lunchtime today, had to endure an agonising wait as the cut line oscillated between +8 and +10, before finally settling at +9, as the round drew to a close.
Speaking after her round, Naomi said:
“I played much better today than I did yesterday, playing with the current leader Aditi really helped and I enjoyed the experience.
“I was hitting the ball much further today, it was great to see as I have been working at this skill since I came to train here at Vipingo Ridge.”
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Naomi Wafula reflects on a history-making week in Kenya
Video: Naomi is inspiring Kenyan golfers with her resilience and her successes. Is this the Ultimate Africa Golf Challenge? Driving 11 countries and playing 100 courses across the continent.
In March 2024 we launched our new weekly Junior Golf Clinics, aiming to inspire the local students to try golf and experience sports.
2023 Magical Kenya Ladies Open Highlights
Round one leader Aditi Ashok maintained her rich vein of form as she returned a 3-under par score, 70, to take her total to 9-under par, to take a 5-stroke lead into the third round.
Speaking after her round, Aditi said:
“I wasn’t hitting the ball as well as I did yesterday, so I wasn’t getting those close putts for birdie. It was however good that I could get around with only one bogey today.
“I’ll try to get back to yesterday’s momentum going into the weekend, hitting it closer to the pin and getting more short birdie putts.
Sweden’s Elin Arvidsson returned the best score of the round, 6-under par, 67, courtesy of 8 birdies, six on the front nine at holes number 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9.
A total of 63 players made the cut and will now play through the weekend for a stake of the 300,000 Euros prize fund. Among them is two-time Magical Kenya Ladies Open winner Esther Henseleit, who is currently T7, eight strokes behind the leader, April Angurasaranee (2), Martha Sanz Barrio (3) and Alice Hewson (T4).
Kenya’s Chanelle Wangari, who was also set to make the cut, saw her hopes drowned out on the par-5 7th, after hitting a tee shot into a nearby swimming pool.
Magical Kenya Open (European Tour) Winners
In 2019, the Kenya Open became the newest event on the European Tour. It is not, however, a new event. The Kenya Open has been that country’s national open since 1967. Since 2019, the tournament has been called the Magical Kenya Open presented by Absa. Magical Kenya is that country’s tourism board.
Here is a list of recent winners:
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jacques Kruyswijk | 266 | -18 | 2 strokes |
| 2024 | Darius Van Driel | 270 | -14 | 2 strokes |
| 2023 | Jorge Campillo | 266 | -18 | 2 strokes |
| 2022 | Ashun Wu | 268 | -16 | 4 strokes |
| 2021 | Justin Harding | 263 | -21 | 2 stroke |
| 2020 | Cancelled: COVID | |||
| 2019 | Guido Migliozzi | 268 | −16 | 1 stroke |
Barclays Kenya Open (Challenge Tour) Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Lorenzo Gagli | 273 | −11 | Playoff |
| 2017 | Aaron Rai | 267 | −17 | 3 strokes |
| 2016 | Sebastian Söderberg | 270 | −18 | 3 strokes |
| 2015 | Haydn Porteous | 271 | −17 | Playoff |
| 2014 | Jake Roos | 278 | −10 | 1 stroke |
| 2013 | Jordi García Pinto | 272 | −12 | 1 stroke |
| 2012 | Seve Benson | 274 | −10 | Playoff |
| 2011 | Michiel Bothma | 270 | −14 | 2 strokes |
Kenya Open (Challenage Tour) Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Robert Dinwiddie | 272 | −12 | 3 strokes |
Tusker Kenya Open (Challenge Tour) Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Gary Boyd | 271 | −13 | 4 strokes |
| 2008 | Iain Pyman | 272 | −12 | 3 strokes |
| 2007 | Edoardo Molinari | 274 | −6 | 1 stroke |
| 2006 | Johan Axgren | 270 | −10 | 4 strokes |
| 2005 | Daniel Vancsik | 272 | −8 | 3 strokes |
Kenya Open (Challenge Tour) Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Marc Cayeux | 270 | −10 | Playoff |
| 2003 | No tournament |
Sameer Kenya Open (Challenge Tour) Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Lee S. |
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