MURRAY, RUSSELL, LAW STILL IN CONTENTION AT KENYA OPEN

CHALLENGE TOUR REPORT FROM NEIL AHERN
European Tour Press Officer 
 

George Murray is chasing his second 

European Challenge Tour title at the 

Barclays Kenya Open after the 

Anstruther man, pictured,  carded a 

bogey-free, four-under-par second

round of 67 to finish the day one shot

off the lead set by Tim Sluiter of The 

Netherlands.

After missing some good birdie 

chances early on at Karen Country 

Club, outside Nairobi, Murray 

picked up his first shot at the eighth hole before he holed a six foot putt for another birdie at the 12^th.

Despite feeling unwell after that birdie, the 29 year old Fifer almost chipped in for eagle at the 15^th before tapping in for another birdie and he finished with another birdie at the par five 18^th to move to 

seven under for the tournament, as he chases a first title since his 

home win at the Scottish Hydro Challenge in 2010.

"I played nicely today,” he said. “I scored well on the first day despite not playing too well but today I didn’t struggle to make par once. I hit the ball pretty solid and made a lot of fairways and only missed one green so it was nice. 

“The course suits my eye, especially when it gets bouncy because I 

grew up on bouncy courses so I won’t complain if it gets any harder, 

that’s for sure. You just have to manage your ball well around here. 

I’ll just stick to my game plan for the weekend and hopefully it will

go well for me.”

Raymond Russell is a shot further back in fourth place on six 

under after he signed for a two under par second round of 69, 

while David Law also carded a 69 and the Aberdonian sits just 

three shots off  the pace on five under par for the tournament.

Sluiter, meanwhile, roared into the lead as a course-record six under 

par second round of 65 moved him a shot clear of the pack.

The 23 year old from the Netherlands was in imperious form at the 

sun-kissed venue outside Nairobi as he carded six birdies and an 

eagle  to take to the top on eight under par, one stroke ahead of Spain’s Jordi 

Garcia Pinto and George Murray in tied second place.

Having begun the day three shots off the lead, Sluiter got off to the 

perfect start as he converted a three foot birdie putt at the tenth, his 

first, before holing another putt of similar length at the 12^th to move

 to two under.

Another birdie at the 17^th was followed by an eagle at the par five 

18^th, chipping in from just behind the green to reach the turn in five 

under.

While his back nine was less spectacular, carding bogeys at the third 

and sixth holes, birdies at the front nine’s two par threes - the fifth 

and seventh - cancelled those blemishes out before another gained 

shot at the ninth took him to the summit heading into the weekend’s 

play.

“Obviously I’m delighted because it’s a tough course so to

shoot six under is really good,” said Sluiter, who was twice 

successful in gaining a European Tour card via Qualifying 

School - in 2010 and 2011.

“I enjoy the course a lot and that helps me. Every shot off the tee is 

with a different club and you have to think your way around so I like 

that.

“I finished fifth in India so it’s been a really good start to the year. I 

didn’t get much practice done last week because of snow at home so 

I’m happy I didn’t lose my game at all.

“I really like the weather here and I’m staying with four other Dutch 

guys so it’s been really relaxed this week.”

Having come agonisingly close to his maiden Challenge Tour victory 

at the Open de Lyon last year, Sluiter is hoping that a first title is on 

its way in Kenya.

“I’m very determined,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be this week but 

if I keep playing the way I have so far it might happen.”

Pinto almost equalled Sluiter’s remarkable round but he was 

nevertheless happy with his five under par 66 and the Spaniard 

revealed he had been given a little inside information on the Karen 

course ahead of this week.

“My coach Joan Anglada played here about 25 years ago

 when he was a European Tour player and he said the course 

was perfect for me,” said Pinto, who turned 23 on the opening 

day of the tournament. 

“It’s tricky but I like it. I played really well today from the very start. 

After the early birdies at the second and third I was very relaxed and 

just enjoyed the day.

“I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens, whereas yesterday I missed

a lot of greens, so it was important to get those early birdies.”

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 142 (2x71)

134 T Sluiter  (Ned) 69 65

135 G Murray  (Sco) 68 67, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 69 66

136 R Russell (Sco) 67 69

137 A Pavan (Ita) 70 67, D Law (Sco) 68 69

138 P Archer (Eng) 69 69, J Senior (Eng) 72 66, T Hatton (Eng) 69 69, S Hutsby  (Eng) 68 70, B Koepka  (USA) 70 68, J Lima  (Por) 70 68

139 A Otaegui  (Esp) 67 72, W Besseling  (Ned) 69 70, M Crespi  (Ita) 71 68, G Snow  (Ken) 68 71

140 D Odhiambo  (Ken) 71 69, D Denison  (Eng) 71 69, J Barnes (Eng) 71 69, D Im (USA) 71 69, T Fournier  (Fra) 72 68, P Uihlein  (USA) 69 71, C Brazillier  (Fra) 69 71, E Dubois (Fra) 71 69, P Oriol (Esp) 70 70

141 M Ford (Eng) 68 73, A McArthur  (Sco) 68 73, D Frittelli (RSA) 71 70, B An (Kor) 69 72, J Legarrea (Esp) 72 69, G Stal  (Fra) 70 71

142 J Ruth  (Eng) 71 71, H Bacher (Aut) 66 76, B Hebert  (Fra) 70 72, S Tiley (Eng) 74 68, N Floren (Swe) 73 69, D Kemmer (USA) 70 72, F Colombo (Ita) 73 69, C Hanson (Eng) 75 67, L Bjerregaard  (Den) 70 72, W Booth  (Sco) 75 67, A Velasco (Esp) 72 70, D Vancsik (Arg) 73 69

143 K Timbe  (Ken) 72 71, T Murray (Eng) 67 76, S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 72 71, F Laporta (Ita) 77 66, J Dantorp (Swe) 74 69, V Riu  (Fra) 71 72, C Aguilar  (Esp) 71 72

144 J Moul  (Eng) 71 73, C Suneson (Esp) 74 70, R Enoch  (Wal) 75 69, M Sell  (Eng) 73 71, M Muthiya  (Zam) 72 72, P Dwyer (Eng) 74 70, B Ritthammer (Ger) 73 71, B Njoroge  (Ken) 73 71, J Fahrbring (Swe) 70 74, J Huldahl (Den) 71 73, N Ngugi (Ken) 70 74, D Griffiths  (Eng) 75 69

MISSED THE CUT

145 N Quintarelli (Ita) 76 69, T Nørret (Den) 71 74, A Bernadet  (Fra) 73 72, D Indiza  (Ken) 69 76, F Calmels  (Fra) 77 68, L Kennedy  (Eng) 74 71, A Rota (Ita) 75 70, G Shaw (Nir) 72 73, M Haastrup  (Den) 74 71, M Glauert (Ger) 71 74, N Elvira  (Esp) 74 71, M Zions (Aus) 75 70

146 F Bergamaschi (Ita) 71 75, D Perrier (Fra) 75 71, S Walker (Eng) 72 74, M Mandhu (Zim) 71 75, S Engell Andersen  (Ken) 73 73, C Gane (Eng) 75 71, J Howarth (Eng) 73 73, P Relecom  (Bel) 71 75

147 S Ngige (Ken) 75 72, J McLeary  (Sco) 74 73, L Claverie (Esp) 75 72, J Timmis (Eng) 73 74, R Davies (Wal) 73 74, N Meitinger  (Ger) 77 70, J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 74 73, S Brown (Eng) 73 74, J Van Der Walt (RSA) 75 72, J Gibb (Eng) 70 77, A Domingo (Esp) 76 71, G Cambis  (Fra) 78 69, J Maurer  (Aut) 76 71, N Mudanyi (Ken) 71 76, C Ford (Eng) 74 73

148 D Palm (Swe) 78 70, L Goddard  (Eng) 75 73, P Thuo (Ken) 76 72, S O'Hara  (Sco) 69 79, D Wakhu  (Ken) 77 71, D Opati (Ken) 77 71, J Wahlqvist (Swe) 76 72, C Russo (Fra) 75 73, B Parker  (Eng) 73 75

149 L Saltman (Sco) 76 73, A Kimani  (Ken) 78 71, N Kearney (Irl) 72 77, G Giddie  (Ken) 74 75, F De Vries  (Ned) 77 72, S Jeppesen  (Swe) 72 77, N Simwa (am) (Ken) 74 75

150 R Ainley (Ken) 77 73, H Kutwa (Ken) 80 70, S Manley (Wal) 72 78, D Wuensche  (Ger) 73 77

151 J Kagiri  (Ken) 78 73, M Kramer  (Ger) 76 75, D Stewart (Sco) 75 76, R Hjelm (Den) 73 78, N Ravano (Ita) 73 78, J Van Tonder (RSA) 71 80, G Houston (Wal) 76 75, F Kimani (am) (Ken) 75 76

152 J Watts (Eng) 79 73, O Rozner  (Fra) 77 75, K Borsheim  (Nor) 76 76, A Shah (Ken) 71 81, A Horne (Swz) 75 77, R Charania (Ken) 76 76, D Akope  (Uga) 74 78

153 J Glennemo (Swe) 80 73, J Abbott (Eng) 78 75, B Simwa (Ken) 76 77, M Haremza (Ger) 79 74, T Omuli (am) (Ken) 79 74

154 R Kellett (Sco) 78 76

155 M Omondi (am) (Ken) 79 76

156 A Perrino  (Ita) 80 76, H Kadio (Tan) 77 79, Å Nilsson (Swe) 84 72, M Novy  (Cze) 78 78, J Muigai (Ken) 75 81

158 S Muthugia (Ken) 76 82, C Wangai (Ken) 76 82, K Abuto  (Ken) 77 81

159 E Ruterena (Rwa) 84 75

162 J Madoya (am) (Ken) 80 82, J Sandhu (am) (Ken) 80 82

163 H Mutawe (Uga) 83 80

Retired: J Okello (Ken) 80 RT, P Edberg (Swe) 71 RT, A Shah  (Ken) 81 WD, M Haines  (Eng) RT

Disqualified: N Rokoine  (Ken) DQ