Van Driel takes Kenya Open after contenders hit shanks

Darius van Driel won the Magical Kenya Open on Sunday for his first career win on the DP World Tour.

Meanwhile, two of van Driel’s main challengers hit less than magical shots.

First was Manuel Elvira, who co-led with van Driel after 54 holes and remained tied with van Driel through four holes. Elvira found the greenside bunker off the tee at the par-3 fifth at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi. Faced with a routine shot from the sand, Elvira shanked the shot and ended up walking away with bogey.

Elvira would shoot 1-under 70 and finish at 11 under, three shots back.

Just 10 minutes or so after Elvira’s shank, it was Connor Syme’s turn. Syme was just a shot back of van Driel when he prepared to hit his second shot at the par-5 seventh. He would catch the hosel on the shot and go from potentially gaining a shot to carding bogey.

Syme made a couple birdies afterward, but his closing 69 left him four off the winning score in a tie for seventh.