Bob MacIntyre’s appearance this week at the Magical Kenya Open is being labelled by local organisers a ‘Godsend’ though the Scot may think otherwise.
MacIntyre has travelled to Kenya very much looking for magic, as the tournament title boasts, as he strives to return to next month’s Masters for a third year running.
The Oban lefties slide down the World Rankings contiunes, dropping a further place to be now ranked World No. 94, and needing to be inside the top-50 on the rankings, as at March 26th later this month if he’s to be returning to Augusta Natinoal.
Unless MacIntyre produces the magic in the next three weeks it’s going to hurt his chances also of automatic Rome Ryder Cup selection.
At this stage, the top-ranked Scot is into May’s PGA Championship, should he not drop out of the top-100 on the World Rankings two weeks prior to the championship starting on May 18th at Oak Hill in upstate New York. while he’s exempt into the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool.
Top Scot Bob MacIntyre creating headlines (Even if they left out an ‘e’) in the local Nairobi newspaper ahead of this week’s Magical Kenya Open.
The good news is that week’s Magical Kenya Open is super excited MacIntyre is again teeing-up in Nairobi, with local The Star newspaper declaring: “MacIntyre is a man with two European Tour titles, a pair of top 10s at the Open and career earnings of more than £5 million and will definitely attract spectator attention in the four-day 72-hole stroke-play event”.
As well, Kenya Open tournament director Patrick Obath said: “Having MacIntyre and (Spain’s Adrian Otaegui) enter is ‘Godsend’ and their presence in Kenya will create the much-needed zest and global attention.
“This year, because the prize money has moved from US$1.5m to about US$ 2m, we are going to expect a better quality of players coming to the tournament this year.
“We have two players who are going to play in the Ryder Cup in Europe and if those players are choosing to play in the Magical Kenya Open, it means we have been able to attract good players.”
Let’s hope the Magical Kenya Open tournament director is correct.
MacIntyre is among a big field of 10 Scots teeing-up in the Kenyan capital.
AND great news for David Drysdale who this week finally makes his debut as a full Asian Tour player in the $US2m International Series Thailand at Black Mountain, about a 3-hour drive south-west of the capital Bangkok.
Drysdale last year lost his DP World Tour card but not to be deterred headed off to Asia to secure full Asian Tour membership.
However, his qualifying category and the strength of the Asian Tour fields in recent weeks has delayed his debut tee-time.
