Trio set for Kenyan Safari Tour
Three local professional golfers—Paul Chidale, Simon Moses and Partridge Shycal—are set to take part in the Kenyan Safari Tour slated for Thika Greens Golf Club Resort in Nairobi.
According to Shycal, who is also president of the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Malawi, the trio is scheduled to fly out to the Kenyan capital today.
He said Malawian Airlines has, once again, offered Chidale a free return ticket while Moses and himself have been offered concession discounts.
“Once again, we are grateful to Malawian Airlines for their gesture. Last time, they did the same and Paul did it to perfection at the Tanzania Open by finishing a remarkable third,” said Shycal.
The Safari Tour has lined up three tours in January alone with the first slated to run from 4 to 9, the second will be held from 11 to 15 while the last tee-off on January 25 to 29.
In an interview yesterday, Chidale said he is prepared for the tournament.
“It [Safari Tour] is one of the biggest tours on the continent in the mould of the European Tour.
“My target is to finish in the top three in one of them and, at least make the top 10 in the other two and I am confident of achieving that,” said the 27-year-old golfer.
Shycal said Chidale will also be competing for one of the three available slots for African nationals for the upcoming European Tour.
“Paul is currently ranked fifth among fellow African players in the run up to the qualifications to the tour. He, therefore, needs to play well in all the three tours to increase his chances of getting an outright slot into the European Tour. Kenya is given three slots for its best African players apart from its locals,” he said.
He, however, said Chidale needs financial assistance from well-wishers and the corporate world for his upkeep during the three tours.
Moses’ sponsors Hallmark Creations’ managing director Gift Chidya Gondwe said they are hopeful that the tournament will provide their golfer the platform for more exposure.
“He is slowly making strides and these are the kind of tournaments that can expose him more,” he said.
