Italian Guido Migliozzi is the winner of the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship.

The 22-year old won Sh20.5 million after overcoming stiff opposition from Louis de Jager to win his first European Tour at the Karen Country Club on Sunday.

Top placed Kenyan Simon Ngige crowned the day with an absolute superb finish, chipping in a birdie at the 18th for a round of 69; taking his total for the tournament to 5-under par, 279, to see him tied for 25th, alongside the 2016 Kenya Open winner Sebastian Soderberg.

The other Kenyan to have made the cut, Justus Madoya finished tied for 72nd, with an overall score of 5 over par, 289.

President Uhuru Kenyatta presents junior golfer Mutahi Kibugu with a Silver Salver in recognition of the junion’s debut at the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship. PHOTO: SPORTSNEWS AFRICA

Migliozzi claimed the title after returning a score of 2-under par, 69 for round four to take his overall score to 14-under par 268.

The Italian started his campaign with a score of 4-under par after round one, following it up with a 2-under par score on Friday to successfully make the cut to play at the weekend.

It was at round three that the Italian turned on the style with an impressive 7-under par score to give him a share of the lead going into the final round.

Playing in the last group of the day, Migliozzi went toe to toe with fellow day three leader Adri Arnaus as well as Louis De Jager, Justin Harding, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Kalle Samooja, who all had a taste of the lead in the course of a thrilling final day, at the Karen Country Club.

The Italian had a shaky start to his round, dropping his first shot at the par-3, 4th, following this up with back to back birdies at the 6th and 7th.

President Uhuru Kenyatta presents junior golfer Bradley Mogire with a Silver Salver in recognition of the Mogire’s debut at the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship. PHOTO: SPORTSNEWS AFRICA

A further dropped shot at the 9th however saw him return a front nine score of par,35 for a three-way tie at the top of the leader board.

It was at the back nine, where the 22-year-old would prevail, starting off with a birdie on the par-4, 10th and another at the 12th to hold a one-shot lead. AS the crowd and pressure rose, Miglozzi show steady nerves to hold par in his last six holes to take the title.

The winner of the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship, Guido Migliozzi, gives a speech at the Karen Country Club. PHOTO: SPORTSNEWS AFRICA

Migliozzi follows in the footsteps of Major Champions Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam and Trevor Immelman in winning the tournament and becomes the second consecutive Italian winner of the Kenya Open, after Lorenzo Gagli last year.

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