The European Tour’s Golf for Good initiative and tournament partners Absa have joined forces to support local charitable causes during the Kenya double-header, with KES3,762,000 (€30,301) already raised at the Magical Kenya Open presented by Johnnie Walker and further funds set to be raised at this week’s Kenya Savannah Classic presented by Absa.
Absa – official banking partner of the Magical Kenya Open and the presenting sponsor of the Kenya Savanna Classic – offered to donate Kes1,000 (Kenyan shillings) for every single birdie made at Karen Country Club throughout the back-to-back European Tour events in Kenya.
Golf for Good – the overarching umbrella for the European Tour’s CSR activities – will match those donations through its Every Birdie Counts campaign, meaning that for all the birdies made last week in the Magical Kenya Open, as well as those made at this week’s Kenya Savannah Classic, a grand total of Kes 2,000 (approximately €15) will be donated.
At last week’s Magical Kenya Open, 1,881 birdies were made throughout the week, with 21 of those coming from tournament winner Justin Harding of South Africa – who set a new tournament record for lowest winning score on 21 under par. All funds raised by Absa and the European Tour will go towards a deserving local community cause in response to challenges caused by the pandemic.
The Every Birdie Counts campaign is part of the Tour’s Golf for Good initiative, the overarching umbrella for the Tour’s CSR activities, which embraces support for worthy causes and the communities where the Tour plays, promotion of all areas of sustainability and promotion of inclusivity for all allied to the many health benefits of the game.
Caroline Ndungu, Absa Kenya Marketing and Corporate Relations Director, said: “We are deliberate about being a force for good and a brand whose heart beats for the communities in which we operate.
“As we celebrate our one year anniversary, we are committed to spending Kes5 million to support community based initiatives in response to challenges caused by the COVID -19 pandemic. As a build up to this and as part of our sponsorship to the Magical Kenya Open and the Kenya Savannah Classic, we are looking for 2000 birdies during the two tournaments.
“For each birdie, we will contribute Kes1000 and the European Tour will match that figure. The funds will go towards a deserving local community cause from our Wall of Possibilities, demonstrating our commitment to be one with the communities in which we operate.”
Patrick Obath, Kenya Open Golf Limited Tournament Director, said: “Absa has always been a pivotal partner in this tournament over the years and we are really excited about their joining forces with the European Tour’s Every Birdie Counts campaign.
“It has always been our endeavor to impact lives beyond the tournament and this initiative strongly speaks to this commitment. It’s now over to the pros to bring their A-game to the tournament and be part of impacting our community through their scores.”
About Absa Bank Kenya
Absa Bank Kenya PLC is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and is one of Kenya’s leading financial institutions. Established in 1916, Barclays has been a major player in Kenya’s financial landscape, engaged in personal and corporate banking, enterprise, credit cards and bancassurance.
The bank offers end-to-end financial solutions to retail, enterprise and corporate customers, and its regional and global footprint enables it to offer cutting-edge financial solutions to its clients. The bank is a leader in the credit card space. It has also been associated with a number of market firsts, such as the launch of the first ATM, Sharia-compliant banking and unsecured lending. Absa Bank Kenya has presence in 38 counties. It has 86 branches, 212 ATMs and a robust Internet and mobile banking platform. The bank’s purpose is to bring possibilities to life
Play at the Kenya Savannah Classic got underway on Tuesday with Ireland’s Cormac Sharvin, Jonathan Caldwell and Gavin Moynihan all in action.
- Full scoring HERE
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