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Although most of the golf I write about and research is America-based, I have always been fascinated in the farther-flung places the game touches. I'm not talking about established golf cultures like Australia and New Zealand (though those countries are #1 and #2 on my list of places to see for golf), but rather places like this week's DP World Tour site: Muthaiga Golf Club, home of the Magical Kenya Open.
I caught a tweet from Monday Q Info's Ryan French, signal-boosting a video about three qualifiers into the tournament: Willy Deus from Uganda, Sunday Olapade of Nigeria and Paul Chidale of Malawi. Golf has barely existed for most people in those countries, but perhaps that is beginning to change.
THIS.
— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) February 19, 2025
Three players from Uganda, Malawi, and Nigeria. Those three countries have about 20 courses combined. And now the trio will play on the @DPWorldTour this week.
I love it. Mondays for life.
pic.twitter.com/FUxMJIlmLg
After years playing the Safari Tour, Olapade describes the chance to tee it up in Kenya as a "dream come true." Another clip shows Deus' triumphant finish to his qualifying round, followed by a lingering shot of him, hunched over by his bag, taking the moment in. Seeing Deus process the realization of one of his own dreams makes us fans feel good for investing time and attention into the game. It's a valuable bit of vicarious joy. Even if the prospect of winning a DP World Tour event might be some years away for Deus, Olapade, Chingale and others from golf's developing world, their mere presence is a step towards a more diverse and competitive golf scene.
That is, if the momentum they represent is not stamped out by the PGA Tour. After all, competitive golf's biggest-time organization is set to slash more than two dozen players from its ranks starting next year. Tournaments that have traditionally featured fields of 156 players will shrink to as little as 120 while tour brass continues to crow about growing the game. If anything, closing the PGA Tour shop threatens a chilling effect on the rest of the competitive picture as fewer available spots on golf's highest mountain will mean fewer golfers will be able to credibly dream of getting there. Fewer still will realize those dreams.
Luckily, for now, those facts won't wipe away the smiles of Willy, Sunday and Paul. They're a safe 8,000 miles from Ponte Vedra, and even farther away in competitive spirit.
