Leading national broadcaster, the Standard Group PLC, is among eight corporates who have come on board to support Kenya’s bid for 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 for the Summer Games.
Twenty eight 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 corporates follows the launch of the inaugural Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) Equator Tour yesterday in Nairobi.
The 11-legged series is a groundbreaking development circuit aimed at grooming local professionals for global success, with the ultimate goal being to ensure Kenya’s golf team makes a debut in the Olympics.
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 lee-way 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 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 to keep ourselves busy all throughout the year. This normally hampers our fitness,” Omuli added.
“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.”
Commenting on their support for the Series, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said: “At Safaricom, we believe in transforming lives through powering of talents. Today, we commit Sh3 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 longtime-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 said.