Double joy for South Africans Jarvis and Bekker
Casey Jarvis shows off the Magical Kenya Open trophy . Picture: Getty Images
Mark Power couldn’t maintain the rhythm of the first three rounds and closed with a three-over 73 to finish 48th in the Magical Kenya Open.
The Kilkenny man (25) got a last-minute invitation and fired rounds of 67, 65 and 66 to go into the final round tied for 12th and within striking distance of the top-five finish he needed to qualify for this week’s Investec South African Open.
Things didn’t go his way in the final round at Karen Country Club, however, and after turning in level par following a bogey at the third and a birdie at the eighth, he dropped shots at the 10th, 13th and 18th to finish 16 strokes behind winner Casey Jarvis on nine-under par in Nairobi.
The South African claimed his maiden DP World Tour title in wire-to-wire fashion, finishing birdie-eagle at Karen Country Club to card an eight-under 62 and win by three strokes from American Davis Bryant on 25-under.
“It’s amazing,’ said Jarvis (22) after a day interrupted twice by stormy weather. “I’ve actually never won in front of my dad before.
“I’ve wanted to win in front of him so badly, and to finally do it, I can’t explain to you the emotions. I was so nervous coming down the last two, so it feels great.
“There aren’t many words that can describe the feeling. I also wish my mum were here, but she's back home in the UK.
Oliver Bekker won the Jonsson Workwear Durban Open at Durban Country Club. Picture: Getty Images
“But it's unbelievable, he's been with me through the ups, through the downs – a lot more downs than ups. I know this moment doesn't happen often, so we're going to celebrate it properly tonight.”
There was also success for South Africa on the HotelPlanner Tour as Oliver Bekker claimed his second victory on home soil in the Jonsson Workwear Durban Open at Durban Country Club.
Following the cancellation of Saturday’s play due to flooding, Bekker came from five strokes off the lead, carding a five-under 67 to win by two strokes on 16 under par from Swede Christofer Blomstrand.
“It’s a little bit surreal,” Bekker said. “I came into the week having not played too much golf after moving to Australia. I came here with low expectations, and that’s sometimes when you play your best golf.”
Spain’s Ereno, Peru's Julian Perico, Scot Calum Fyfe, South African Luke Brown, England's John Gough and Portugal’s Pedro Figueiredo tied for third on 13 under.
Liam Nolan’s 73 left him 49th in four-under with Gary Hurley 54th, a shot further back, after a 72.
TheHotelPlanner Tour now takes a three-week break before heading to India for back-to-back events with Max Kennedy 10th, Hurley 26th, Nolan 37th and Conor Purcell 61st in the Road to Mallorca race for 15 DP World Tour cards.
Power is 110th after picking up points for his performance in the Kenya Open.
Meanwhile, world number one Jeeno Thitikul triumphed at home for the first time when she closed with a four-under 68 to win the Honda LPGA Thailand by a shot from Japan’s Chizzy Iwai on 24-under-par.
Leona Maguire shot a final round 72 to start the 2026 season with a tie for 32nd on 10 under.
Alps Tour - Moran best of the Irish after opening round of Red Sea Little Venice Open
Castle’s Rober Moran opened with a five under 67 to lead the Irish challenge after the opening round of the Red Sea Little Venice Open at Sokhna Golf Club in Suez.
After finishing runner-up to Sam Murphy in last week’s season-opening Ein Bay Open at the Suez resort, he was tied for ninth, four shots behind Spain’s Josep Maria Serra Busquet, who shot a nine-under 63 to lead by a shot from Italy's Filippo Grossi.
Hugh Fioley was 52nd after a 70, while Murphy’s 71 left him joint 66th.
Cathal MacCanna shot 78 to share 113th in the 118-man field,
