After conquring the jubilee Kenya Open Golf championships at Muthaiga golf club last month, Lorenzo Gagli will be taking on the greens again for Trkish Airlines Challenge set for next weekend at Gloria Golf Club in Belek.
The Italian born golfer came to Kenya and walked away with Kshs 10 million worthy prize in the European Challenge Tour 2018 after a three-way hole 13 play-off over Swede Jens Fahrbring after a -11 deadlock on the fourth round.
He will be joined by Kenya Open stars Philip Mejow of Germany and Finland’s Kalle Samooja who both finished joint third in the 2018 edition after firing a cumulative total of -10.
Finland’s Oliver Lindell who clinched the momentous Hole-in-One car, a Ford Ranger WildTrak valued at Sh6.9 at Muthaiga after firing a 7-iron into the hole at 173m (191 yards) par three 13th which was the official designated hole, will also play in Turkey.
Garry Boyd, the 2009 Kenya open winner with a score of -12 under par 272 gross, has also been invited to the Turkish Airlines Challenge which is the third round of the European Challenge Tour after Kenya Open.
Gagli vanquished Swede Fahrbring in a nerve-raking three-way play-off on hole 13 to emerge the winner of 2018 Kenya Open Championship at the Par 71 Muthaiga course.
In what will perhaps go down in history as one of the most dramatic edition, Gagli and Fahrbring parred the hole twice before an enthusiastic crowd which included His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Both players were tied on 11 under 273 after 18 holes and were compelled to break the deadlock in a dramatic sudden death which treated hundreds of spectators to exhilarating displays.
But Lorenzo had his campaign for the coveted title effectively sewn up in the third play off when Fahrbring excruciatingly sunk the ball into the dam to bogey on his third attempt. Fahrbring is also headed to Turkey to renew his rivalry with Gagli who became the inaugural winner of the Kenya Open inaugural jacket and the winner of the lucrative Ksh. 11.5 Million prize money.
Sebastian Soderberg who triumphed at Karen Country Club in 2016 will also be in action in Turkey. Soderberg was seeking to become just the second person in the Kenya Open 50-year history to win at both Nairobi courses, with England’s Maurice Bembridge currently the only player to achieve the feat way back in 1968 and 1969.