Leading national broadcaster, The Standard Group PLC, is among the eight corporations that have come on board to support Kenya’s bid for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Standard Group will walk toe to toe with pro golfers Sullivan Muthugia (Thika), Tony Omuli (Golf Park), Robinson Owiti (Vet Lab) and Greg Snow (Muthaiga) in their bid to punch tickets to the Summer Games.
28 other local pros have also been adopted, in four batches each, by the NCBA Bank, Safaricom, Britam, Diageo, Visa, Kenya Airways and Nation Media Group.
The adoption of the golfers by the top leading national corporations follows the launch of the inaugural Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) Equator Tour on Thursday in Nairobi.
The 11-legged series is a groundbreaking development circuit aimed at grooming local professionals for global success, with the ultimate goal of securing Kenya a debut in the Olympics in golf.
The three-year tour, which is part of PGK’s elite development programme, will tee off with the 32 professionals who will battle for critical Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points under the International Golf Federation (IGF) umbrella, which gives them a leeway to qualify for the Olympics.
PGK is also positioning the Tour as a qualifier for the prestigious annual Magical Kenya Open (MKO) golf championship.
“I’m grateful for this Series, it will help us to step up our game as we strive for MKO and Olympics slots,” Omuli told Standard Sports.
“The Tour has come at the right time because every year we, as professional golfers, struggle hard to keep ourselves busy throughout the year. This normally hampers our fitness,” Omuli stated.
“My ultimate target in the Series is to have a top-five finish every year, so I’ll practice and train hard to realise this set-up goal,” Omuli added.
Commenting on their support for the Series, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa stated: “At Safaricom, we believe in transforming lives through the powering of talents. Today, we commit Sh 3 million to support four professional players who will take part in the Equator Tour through the PGK program. Our goal is to create a sustainable pathway for professional golfers in Kenya, one that
inspires, empowers and transforms lives through sport.”
Players supported by the corporates will receive sponsorship packages that cover gym memberships, mental coaching, nutrition, equipment and monthly stipends.
PGK Chairman C.J. Wangai described the Equator Tour as a step in the right direction and a realisation of a long-time-held dream.
“This vision began a year ago. Golf was reintroduced to the Olympics in 2016, but for a long time, we felt the Games were reserved for athletes from only developed countries,” Wangai stated.
Wangai credited rising amateur star Michael Karanga, who broke into the global top 100 amateur rankings, for inspiring the initiative. Karanga is currently ranked 75th globally.
“Karanga’s achievements showed us that Kenya has the talent to compete on the global stage. That was our wake-up call,” he stated.
“It is with pride that we unveil the PGK Development Programme and the inaugural Equator Tour, aptly dubbed The Road to LA 2028.”
Wangai emphasised that the player selection was merit-based, drawn from cumulative performance over the last ten PGK-sanctioned events.
“This isn’t just about participation, it’s about excellence. We’re building a pipeline of world-class talent.
“We are in advanced discussions with Kenya Open Ltd to integrate the Equator Tour as part of the selection process for the Magical Kenya Open,” Wangai revealed.
Kenya Golf Union (KGU) Chairman Philip Ochola hailed the sponsors for backing a vision of Olympic proportions.
“It takes alot for organisations to come together for such a cause and we thank our corporates for the trust they have given us,” Ochola said.
Ministry of Sports Secretary of Administration Evans Achoki reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the programme.
“The government’s responsibility is to promote and develop sports in the country through identifying and nurturing talent to ensure athletes are paid for their talents,” Achoki said.
He noted that adding golf to the Kenyan Olympic team would form a dominant force for LA 2028.
“Kenya is a powerhouse at the Olympics. If we add golf into the Kenyan Olympic team for 2028 we will have a dominant team.”
He further reiterated the government’s support for the PGK initiative to grow the sport.
“We want to assure everyone of the government’s support to ensure this vision is realised,” stated Achoki.