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Kenya: Press Releases: Safaricom Announce KES9m Sponsorship for Kenya Open Golf Championship |
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Friday, 12 February 2010 |
NAIROBI, 11 February 2010 --- Safaricom has announced a KES9m Gold sponsorship towards this year’s Kenya Open Golf Championship to be held next month at the Muthaiga Golf Club. The four-day event kicks off on 24 March 2010 and is expected to attract top international players from the European Tour circuit and from within Africa including local professional golfers as well as six amateurs.
This is the third consecutive year that Safaricom is sponsoring the tournament. Out of the total kitty from Safaricom, KS5m will go towards the media centre, while KES1m shall be used to buy caddie bibs. Some KES3m will be used to set up and kit a modern media centre.
Speaking during the cheque handover held at Safaricom House, Safaricom Chief Information Technology Officer Robert Mugo said the ultra-modern media centre would be equipped with computers and high speed internet connectivity supported by the firm’s superior 3G network.
“We are proud to be Gold sponsors for this year’s Kenya Open Golf Championship. Sport forms a major point of contact and engagement with our market and a key pillar in our corporate giving function,” said Mr. Mugo.
The media centre will also be equipped with additional facilities such as fax machines, phone lines, and photocopiers to allow for efficient, real-time communication by journalists covering the event, their sources and newsrooms. This will enable them file their stories and pictures from the venue. This year’s tournament will be the 42nd Championship on the African leg of the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) European Challenge Tour.
The chairman of the sponsorship committee of Kenya Open Golf Limited Chairman Mr. Isaac Awuondo said the sponsorship was a major boost to the event.
“I am proud that we are now in the 42nd year of Kenya Open. We have continued for many years to successfully host one of the oldest legs on the European Challenge Tour calendar. The stature of Kenya Open has grown due to the tremendous support received from our corporate sponsors such as Safaricom. We are therefore delighted that once again they have come in to sponsor this biggest international sporting event,” said Mr Awuondo.
The Kenya Open continues to attract players of repute. This year, organizers expect more than 160 players, drawn from the European Tour and from within Africa - including local professional golfers as well as six amateurs who will have the invaluable experience of playing against, and interacting with PGA-tour professionals on their home turf. Previous winners of the Kenya Open include golf greats Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Eamonn Darcy, José Maria Canizares and Trevor Immelman. This year’s Kenya Open will have exciting attractions among them a Corporate Village, giving partners the opportunity to showcase their products and services. There will also a Public Village, where other golf clubs can entertain and host their members.
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