It’s back to base for Kenya’s Andersen

What you need to know:

  • Having launched his career at Muthaiga Golf Club where he also made his last Barclays Kenya Open Cut in 2012, Stefan Andersen, the only Kenyan professional currently playing outside the country, has every reason of wanting to play well and win the Open.
  • Currently ranked 88th in the Sunshine Tour in South Africa, Andersen, makes a comeback to the Open for the first time since 2015.
  • He missed last year’s tournament, and he is excited at the fact that the event is taking place at his home course.

Having launched his career at Muthaiga Golf Club where he also made his last Barclays Kenya Open Cut in 2012, Stefan Andersen, the only Kenyan professional currently playing outside the country, has every reason of wanting to play well and win the Open.

Currently ranked 88th in the Sunshine Tour in South Africa, Andersen, makes a comeback to the Open for the first time since 2015.

He missed last year’s tournament, and he is excited at the fact that the event is taking place at his home course.

“This is where I started playing golf, and I enjoy playing my golf here, but I must say I have not been very lucky with the Kenya Open and I’m hoping things will be well this time round,” said Andersen.

Born on October 2, 1990, and currently attached to the Els Club Copperleaf in South Africa, Andersen says playing in South Africa has real helped him improve.

“With five European Tour events here and a number of big Sunshine Tour events, it real gives one an opportunity to improve because you are playing with top professionals. I would wish a number of our Kenyan pros can come to South Africa.”

Andersen says he is real looking forward to play in the Open at Muthaiga.

“My plan for this year is to get into the top 50 on the Sunshine Tour order of merit. Top 50 will get me into everything including four European tour events.

“Playing in Europe is on the cards this year but that purely depends on where I’m in the order of merit on the sunshine tour when the time comes to play in Europe mid year.

“My last time out was in 2015 didn’t have a good one, was going through a lot of changes in my swing which wasn’t ideal. It’s always hard changing technique but I’m passed that now.

“I have settled down better swing-wise and I’m technically sound now, which is exciting. More importantly it’s keeping my body fit and the mind focused and clear and sticking to the process whatever the process may be.”

Andersen, who is from a golf playing family, says if he plays well in the Open, he will consider playing in more Challenge Tour events in Europe where he believes may offer great chance of him climbing the ladder to the top league.

“This year’s Open, being where I grew up playing golf at Muthaiga, will be fantastic, not taking anything away from Karen that is also a great golf course.

“I don’t think the venue will matter too much if I’m playing well the course shouldn’t matter but there will be an element of home feeling”. In terms of preparation for the Open, he says his plans are the same as every other event he plays.

“Not going to look into to much or build it up any more than I should, as long as I can be fit and the body is sound, I’ll be ready.”

He says playing in South Africa has made him a better player.

“The South Africans are very competitive. I think more Kenyans should come over, it’s a strong tour to play on a very good standard of golf. It’s hard to break through but the opportunities are huge. It can get expensive getting through the year because there is a lot of traveling involved.”

“One, realistically, needs to play in four events to gain traction.

Roughly, one tournament in South Africa would cost $600 (Sh60,000) so for four events, the cost would be $2,400 (Sh240,000).That’s without flights.”

This will be Andersen’s fifth Kenya Open as a professional.

Like many Kenyan golfers, Andersen represented the country in many continental amateur events including the 2010 Africa Zone Six Championship in Gaborone, Botswana, where Kenya won the title for the first time.

He had also featured in other events through the Junior team.

He attended a golf school in Pretoria before turning professional.

Both his mother Yolanda Andersen and sister Christina Andersen are golfers on their own right, Christina having represented Kenya in international events.

Andersen recently became the first Kenyan to make cut in the South Africa Open, a European Tour event.

He is definitely one of the players to watch come the Barclays Kenya Open which starts this week.