KOGL Chairman Patrick Obath and Commercial Director Ronald Meru receive a cheque worth Sh20 million from SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri as sponsorship for the 2026 Magical Kenya Open/HANDOUT

Sigona pro Mohit Mediratta is the latest addition to Team Kenya for the Magical Kenya Open set for February 19–22 at Karen Country Club.

His inclusion pushes the number of local professionals in the field to 11. He joins earlier qualifiers Greg Snow, Samuel Chege, David Wakhu, Njoroge Kibugu, Dismas Indiza, Mutahi Kibugu, Daniel Nduva, Edwin Mudanyi, CJ Wangai and Jastas Madoya.

Mike Kisia, Eric Ooko, John Karichu, and Isaiah Otuke are currently on the reserve list, with the Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) chairman, CJ Wangai, hopeful that more local players will secure late slots into the DP World Tour event.

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“We are hoping that we will get more slots before the start of the event,” said Wangai. “Our chances are higher when we have more players on the course. The inclusion of Mediratta is a good thing for us, and I am just praying we get more slots.”

Wangai said preparations among the local professionals were on track, with several players training at Karen earlier in the week.

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“Everybody is getting to a point where we can say we are ready to play at the MKO. Everything is going as planned,” he said.

Meanwhile, Daniel Kiragu has joined the elite amateur list, replacing Adel Balala, who withdrew for personal reasons despite qualifying late.

The elite amateur and junior lineup now features Michael Karanga, John Lejirma, Jay Sandhu, Harish Shashwat and Junaid Manji. Regional professionals Celestin Nsanzuwera of Rwanda and Nigeria’s Epe Francis are also set to feature.

Away from the course, the tournament received a Sh20 million boost from SportPesa, which comes in as the official betting partner for the four-day event.

SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri described the deal as the company’s entry into golf. “This is our grand entry into golf, and we are going to keep doing this for years to come,” said Karauri.

Kenya Open Golf Limited chairman Patrick Obath said the sponsorship will help strengthen the event.

“We welcome SportPesa as the official gaming and betting partner for the Magical Kenya Open 2026. Their support will help enhance the tournament experience for players, fans and partners,” he said. KOGL commercial director Ronald Meru added that strong partnerships were key to the tournament’s growth.

“With SportPesa on board, we are not just aiming to host a great tournament; we are positioning the Magical Kenya Open for sustained growth and greater international prestige,” said Meru.

The Sh20m golf deal comes weeks after SportPesa unveiled a Sh120m multi-sport package covering rallying, boxing and rugby, in addition to its Sh1.12 billion title sponsorship of the SportPesa League.