Magical Kenya Open 2025 Preview, Picks & Analysis

England's Joe Dean returns to the Magical Kenya Open this week with some fond memories. Although the tournament was won by Darius van Driel, it was Dean who stole the headlines with his runner-up finish.

He won the English Amateur Championship in 2015 at the age of 21, securing his place in the England team in the Home Internationals at Portrush. Back then, it would have been all too easy for Dean to imagine that he might have a golden future. The reality turned out to be rather different.

He turned professional the following year and headed towards the development tours, hoping that his career would soon take an upward trajectory. It did not happen. He finally made it to the Challenge Tour in 2019 with hope in his heart but failed to hit the heights and when the Covid pandemic arrived he very nearly walked away from golf for good.

Instead, Dean, from Sheffield, decided to spend some time playing in regional 36-hole events. And it turned out that going back to his roots was exactly what he needed. He headed to Tour school at the end of 2023. Many onlookers imagined he was only there to make up the numbers but Dean had other ideas and, lo and behold, he gained his DP World Tour card for the 2024 season.

But it wasn’t straightforward. After progressing through the first two stages of Qualifying School, the six-round Final Stage provided a rather more stern examination, and Dean had to birdie the final hole to secure that card. Now THAT is pressure.

He said: "I had not played more than a two-round tournament for three years. Tour School was my first interaction with what it would feel like. It was interesting. I just took one round at a time, we just kept getting through the stages and here we are."

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Having come through qualifying, that is when his problems really began. With no sponsor and no money in the bank, Dean realised that the cost of getting to tournaments in exotic parts of the world would test his resources to the limit and beyond - air fares, hotels and paying a caddie are not inconsiderable sums, and if you don’t make the cut you don’t earn a penny. And that is exactly what happened at the Qatar Masters in his first start on the DP World Tour, when rounds of 75 and 71 simply were not good enough.

Dean had only managed to get to Qatar because he had found a job as a delivery driver for supermarket chain Morrisons. And after missing out in Qatar, Dean had no option but to head home and return to the day job.

The Magical Kenya Open was just his second start and it turned out to be a magical experience for Dean. He began the week ranked 2,930 in the world - he ended it in 671st place after a final round of 67 ensured he finished in a tie for second place to collect a cheque for £179,000. For the world’s best golfers, this would amount to little more than loose change. Dean describes it as a life-changing sum - and it will allow him to finally follow his dreams. 

At the time, he said he had no intention of quitting his job at Morrisons. 

He said: "I’ve never been one of the most over-confident people. Coming to Kenya was a bit daunting. Second event, you don’t really feel like you belong and feel like you’re trying to prove something. Luckily, I managed to get over that quickly and figure out how to get around the course.

"My girlfriend Emily and I have recently bought a house so golf had to take a little more of a backseat, and I had to find a different way to pay the bills," said Dean. "I had to get a part-time job delivering shopping for Morrisons, anything from three to five days a week, from 20 to 30 hours."

But that has all changed. He followed up his performance in Kenya by finishing in the top five at the Soudal Open and lost out in a playoff at the KLM Open. And he qualified for The Open, where he finished in a tie for 25th place. And his fine form has continued this year. All that he needs now is a win - and what better place to do it than in Kenya, where it all began for him?

Twelve months ago this tournament saved the career of Van Driel, who secured a breakthrough victory with a two-shot win. The Dutchman mixed an eagle with three birdies and a bogey during a four-under 67 at Muthaiga Golf Club to end the week on 14 under, two clear of Nacho Elvira and Dean.

Van Driel lost his DP World Tour card in 2023 but came through Qualifying School to secure his playing privileges for the 2024 season, with the 34-year-old's victory seeing him become the first wire-to-wire winner of the campaign.

Guido Migliozzi has loftier ambitions than many in the field. He has his eyes on securing a Ryder Cup berth. A four-time winner on the DP World Tour, the Italian has often struggled for consistency but in recent years has worked hard to put that right. He won the KLM Open last year and finished in a tie for eighth place at the Dubai Desert Classic but then missed three successive cuts. He will have used the two-week break since the Qatar Masters to work on his game and I expect him to perform well in Kenya.

Tournament Winners:

The inaugural event was won in 2019 by Guido Migliozzi, in 2021 by Justin Harding, in 2022 by Ashun Wu, in 2023 by Jorge Campillo and last year by Darius Van Driel. There was no event in 2020 because of the pandemic.

The Course:

Muthaiga Golf Club, located outside Nairobi, is a par 72 measuring 7,228 yards. It is tree-lined, calling for straight hitting, and features several water hazards and plenty of bunkers. Expect to hear Sky Golf commentator Tony Johnstone salivating about the wildlife.

Form Guide:

Haotong Li won the Qatar Masters in some style. He is a golfer who struggles for consistency and it will be fascinating to see how he fares this week. Joe Dean has taken his game to a new level and will return here with some great memories.

Prize Money:

The total prize fund is $2.5m, with 3,500 Race to Dubai and 1,000 Ryder Cup points up for grabs.

How to Watch:

Thursday, February 20, Friday, February 21, Sky Sports Golf, 10am, Saturday, February 22, Sky Sports Golf, 9.30am; Sunday, February 23, Sky Sports Golf, 9am.

To Win:

Joe Dean. Ready for the breakthrough

Each Way:

Guido Migliozzi. Has Ryder Cup ambitions

Five to Follow:

Joe Dean. Has become an impressive performer

Guido Migliozzi. Capable of going really low

John Parry. Living the dream

Sebastian Soderberg. Narrowly missed out on PGA Tour card

Shubhankar Sharma. Trying to turn clock back