South Africa's Casey Jarvis secures maiden title at Magical Kenya Open

South Africa's Casey Jarvis secures maiden title at Magical Kenya Open

The South African, who had shared the lead after each of the first three rounds, held off playing partner Davis Bryant in a final round twice interrupted by stormy conditions in Nairobi.

Jarvis had six birdies and rounded off his round of 62 with a second eagle of the day to win by three strokes.

The 22-year-old said: "It's amazing, 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 when he's here, I can't explain to you the emotions.

"I was so nervous coming down the last two so yeah, it feels great.

"There's not many words that can describe the feeling, I also wish my mum was here but she's back home in the UK. But it's unbelievable, he's been with me through the ups, through the downs.

"I know this moment doesn't happen often so we're going to celebrate it properly tonight."

Jarvis began with three birdies and a bogey in his first four holes to reach 19 under par, still one clear of compatriot Hennie Du Plessis.

Another gain came at the sixth, with Bryant pouring in three in a row from the fifth to stay on his tail as Jarvis reached the turn one ahead.

Du Plessis - after a double bogey at the seventh and birdie at the eighth - and Laporta each made two birdies early in the back nine.

Bryant coolly slotted his birdie at the 11th but Jarvis brilliantly eagled the 12th, perfectly judging his putt up the steep slope in front of the green to move two up with six to play, moments before the hooter went to bring the players in as thunder rolled.

He extended his lead with a birdie on the resumption and holed a testing par putt at the next.

Laporta's par putt at the 15th somehow refused to drop and Bryant was forced to clip out of a bush at the same hole, though an excellent recovery saved par while Jarvis dropped a shot to cut the gap to two.

The American was back within one after a birdie at the next and another stoppage arrived with the leading pair having teed off on the 17th. Du Plessis and Jacob Skov Olesen just had time to birdie the 17th and 18th respectively to join Laporta on 19 under.

Jarvis took dead aim at the 17th flag as play resumed again with Bryant, from the rough, finding a greenside bunker. Jarvis' successful birdie putt gave him a two-shot lead going down the last.

Du Plessis went within a foot of an albatross up ahead, the resultant tap-in eagle taking him to 21 under after a 65. Laporta and Kimsey made birdies to finish 20 and 19 under respectively.

But that cleared the stage for Jarvis, who found the fairway and then the green in exemplary fashion before rolling in a 15-foot eagle putt to round off a momentous week in style.

The celebrations can now begin in earnest and the Jarvis added: "Only a four-hour flight to Joburg – I feel sorry for the people on the plane because I feel like it's going to be pretty loud!"

Bryant's birdie left him second outright ahead of Du Plessis and then Laporta. Jacob Skov Olesen's 65 left him 19 under along with Kimsey, whose fellow Englishman Matthew Jordan shot 62 to vault up to seventh.

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