NAIROBI, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan professional golfer Greg Snow took a commanding lead at the Karen Masters golf tournament in Nairobi, which is part of the Africa Sunshine Tour.
Snow carded 67 points behind leader Stephen Ferreira of Italy to increase his hopes of winning the tournament, which has attracted 158 professional golfers from Africa and Europe. The tournament ends on Sunday.
"Obviously the plan is to win the event and just to have a solid week and play some good golf. I have been practicing well and I want to challenge for the honors. The course is in superb lush-green condition and I can only hope for the best. I will go for the cut and after securing a place in the money bracket, I will take the last two rounds as they come," said Snow on Friday.
Snow, together with Dismas Indiza and Simon Ngige, are expected to lead the 30-man Kenya squad with national team captain Charles Wangai.
"Our team is set for the Masters. We have sharpened our skills and improved on our game including putting and swinging. We are ready," said Wangai.
The 2019 KCB Karen Masters will offer an increased prize pot worth 15 million shillings for the winner ( 150,000 U.S. dollars) up from 13,500 dollars in 2018. This makes it one of the most lucrative tournaments in the Sunshine Tour.
South Africa has over 100 golfers in the Tour including defending champion Michael Palmer, currently ranked 23rd in the Sunshine Tour rankings.
Others are nine of the top 10 players on the tour ranking that include Daniel Van Tonder, JC Ritchie, Callum Mowat, Garrick Higgo, Martin Rohwer, Thriston Lawrence, Neil Schietekat, Jacques Blaauw and Steve Surry.
Uganda has also sent top professional in Abraham Ainemani together with Phillip Kasozi, Deo Akope, Brian Toolit, Herman Mutawe and Ronald Rugumayo.
Zimbabwean Ryan Cairns, who won a Toyota Prado at last year's tourney after sinking a hole-in-one on the 5th hole, is also in contention.
