Kearney flies Irish flag in Kenya

Niall Kearney is the lone Irishman playing in Kenya this week.

Niall Kearney is Ireland’s sole representative as the European Challenge Tour travels to the east coast of Africa for the Kenya Open in Nairobi tomorrow.

The Dubliner, 22, will make his first Challenge Tour start of the season at the Muthaiga Golf Club after making his debut on the full European Tour in the Africa Open in January.

In his two European Tour events to date the man from Royal Dublin has failed to make the cut, but with his Challenge Tour status assured it’s in these events that he is keen to devote his efforts as his splits his time between the two tours. 

The Kenya Open is the second event on the 2010 Challenge Tour schedule and the winner this week will add his name to an illustrious list of past winners.

Former Masters champion Trevor Immelman was champion here in 2000 and European Tour winners Maarten Lafeber, Edoardo Molinari and Marc Cayeux have all lifted the title in the last decade.

Amongst the field this week are Kearney’s 09 Walker Cup team-mate Luke Goddard and the familiar names of Pelle Edberg, Lloyd Saltman and Robert Dinwiddie.

Kearney will tee it up alongside England’s Stuart Davis and Nick Brennan of Zambia at 9.05am (Irish time) on Friday.