Magical Kenya Open 2027 Tees Off in Nairobi on 18 February

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KENYA · GOLF

The Magical Kenya Open 2027 starts on Thursday 18 February at Karen Country Club in Nairobi and ends on Sunday 21 February. It is a DP World Tour event, and Golf Channel holds the exclusive US television rights to the tour through 2030.

The DP World Tour announced the dates on Wednesday 16 September 2026. Tickets and the prize fund are not out yet, so this Magical Kenya Open 2027 guide uses 2026 figures and says so.

What the Magical Kenya Open Is and Why It Matters

The Magical Kenya Open is Kenya’s national golf championship and one of the longer-running events on the DP World Tour calendar. It was first played in 1967, the Nation newspaper reports, and the 2026 edition ran from 19 to 22 February.

The tournament ran on the second-tier Challenge Tour from 1991 to 2018, Citizen Digital reports. It joined the main tour schedule in 2019, when that circuit was still called the European Tour.

The DP World Tour is the international circuit based in Europe, and it is separate from the US PGA Tour. Its chief executive Guy Kinnings said the 2027 season will carry 17 national Opens, after historic Opens in Singapore and Portugal return.

Patrick Obath, director of Kenya Open Golf Limited, says the event can no longer be defined solely by scores and leaderboards. He cites its value for sport, business, tourism and Kenya’s image, and an expected global audience above 600 million viewers.

South Africa’s Casey Jarvis won the 2026 title on Sunday 22 February, his first DP World Tour victory. He sank a long eagle putt on the 18th green, and Kenya’s President William Ruto presented the trophy, The Star reports.

The 2026 field had 144 players, and Kenya sent 18 of them, the largest national group, Capital FM reports. South Africa had 17 players, led by the defending champion Jacques Kruyswijk.

Expect a similar scale at the Magical Kenya Open 2027, though the organiser has not published its field. The list of confirmed players is not yet public.

Dates, Tee Times and How to Watch in the US

The Magical Kenya Open 2027 runs from Thursday 18 February to Sunday 21 February. The 2026 edition was 72 holes of stroke play with a cut after the second round, Citizen Digital reports.

First tee times in 2026 were 4:30 in the morning on Thursday and Friday, and 5:00 on the weekend. The 2027 timetable has not been published.

Nairobi is three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, which makes it eight hours ahead of US Eastern time in February. So 1 p.m. in Nairobi is 5 a.m. in New York.

In 2026 Golf Channel and Peacock aired play from 5 to 10 in the morning Eastern on 19 and 20 February. Weekend windows began at 4:30 and 3:30, Golf News Net reported, and Peacock needs a paid subscription.

Golf Channel extended its deal in January 2026 and remains the tour’s exclusive US television home through 2030, Golf Magic reported. The Magical Kenya Open 2027 US broadcast times have not been announced.

Tickets and Prices: What We Know From 2026

Kenya Open Golf Limited, the organiser, sold 2026 passes through its own website, magicalkenyaopen.com. A Thursday pass cost KSh 1,000 (about US$8) and a Friday pass KSh 1,500 (about US$12).

Weekend passes cost KSh 2,500 (about US$19) each, and a four-day season pass cost KSh 6,000 (about US$46). Junior golfers with a valid Junior Golf Foundation card entered free.

Dollar figures in this guide use 129.8 Kenyan shillings to the dollar, the rate on 21 October 2026. The organiser has not announced Magical Kenya Open 2027 prices, so treat these amounts as last year’s guide only.

The organiser’s ticket page did not name a payment partner when we checked it on 21 October 2026. Buy only through the official site, and be wary of resellers on social media.

The Venue and How to Get There

Karen Country Club sits in the Karen suburb of Nairobi, at the foot of the Ngong Hills, the organiser says. The course is a par 72 of 6,818 yards.

In 2026 holes 2 and 15 played as par 4s, making the course a par 70, the Nation reports. The tournament came back to Karen in 2026 for the first time since 2021, Capital FM reports.

Book a hotel in or near Karen and ask it to arrange a driver. The US State Department warns of armed carjacking and robberies in Kenya, and tells travellers to avoid driving between cities at night.

If the Magical Kenya Open 2027 start times look like 2026, you will leave your hotel in the dark. Fix your driver and pick-up point the day before, and agree the return trip in advance.

Tips for US and Foreign Visitors

Americans heading to the Magical Kenya Open 2027 need an approved electronic travel authorisation, the eTA, before they fly. Standard applications start at US$30 through the official site, etakenya.go.ke.

Processing normally takes three business days, and an expedited option costs an extra US$100. Your passport needs at least six months of validity and one blank page, the Kenyan government says.

Visitors from other countries also need the eTA, because the government says all travellers must submit information before departure. Apply well before booking non-refundable hotels, since you may travel only after approval.

On Monday 19 October 2026 the State Department raised Kenya to Level 3, citing health risks, as our guide to the new rating explains. Its Level 4 list names Eastleigh and Kibera in Nairobi, not Karen.

The advisory warns of carjacking, mugging and robberies by people on motorcycles. It tells visitors to keep a low profile and avoid demonstrations and crowds, and our Kenya security explainer adds context.

Kenya has confirmed eight Ebola cases since 6 October, with one death, Citizen Digital reported on 18 October. The US CDC posted a Level 1 notice on 19 October asking for usual precautions, and February may look different.

The trade body ATTA reported on 13 October that Kenya’s tourist board published guidance on a proposed visitor health insurance cover costing US$44. Read our report on the insurance rule before you book, because the start date is not confirmed.

Medical facilities in Kenya often require payment upfront, the State Department says. Carry travel insurance that covers medical evacuation.

The Show Around the Golf

The tournament is also a festival. In 2026 the Johnnie Walker Entertainment Village sat beside the course, and Nyashinski performed on Saturday 21 February after the third round.

Njerae closed the event on Sunday 22 February, after the champion was crowned, Citizen Digital reported. No Magical Kenya Open 2027 acts have been named.

What Is Not Confirmed Yet

Magical Kenya Open 2027 ticket prices and the sales date are not announced. The organiser’s ticket page still carried 2026 content when we checked it on 21 October 2026.

The 2027 prize fund is not published. The 2026 prize fund was US$2.7 million, according to the organiser’s website.

Capital FM names Karen Country Club as the 2027 venue, but Citizen Digital’s report on the same announcement does not name one. Confirm the venue with the organiser before you book flights.

The Magical Kenya Open 2027 field, tee times, entertainment line-up and US television schedule are not published. We will refresh this guide when the organiser or the tour releases them.

More: Kenya news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Magical Kenya Open 2027?

The tournament runs from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 February 2027, and Capital FM names the venue as Karen Country Club in Nairobi. Tee times have not been published.

How much are Magical Kenya Open tickets?

The 2027 prices are not announced. In 2026 day passes cost from KSh 1,000 (about US$8) and a four-day season pass cost KSh 6,000 (about US$46).

How can I watch the Magical Kenya Open in the US?

Golf Channel is the exclusive US television home of the DP World Tour through 2030, and Peacock streamed the 2026 edition. The 2027 broadcast times are not yet announced.

Sources: Capital FM Kenya, DP World Tour announce date for 2027 Magical Kenya Open, 16 September 2026; Citizen Digital, DP World Tour confirms dates for 2027 Magical Kenya Open, 17 September 2026; Magical Kenya Open, organiser website (Kenya Open Golf Limited), accessed 21 October 2026; Magical Kenya Open, tickets page (2026 prices), accessed 21 October 2026; Citizen Digital, Nyashinski, Njerae to illuminate Magical Kenya Open 2026, February 2026; Nation, Tough course awaits golfers at 2026 Kenya Open, February 2026; The Star Kenya, Ruto graces Magical Kenya Open 2026, 22 February 2026; AllAfrica / Capital FM, Magical Kenya Open set to intensify hunt for International Swing points, 28 January 2026; AllAfrica / Capital FM, Kenya unveil Magical Kenya Open squad, 16 February 2026; Golf News Net, 2026 Magical Kenya Open TV and streaming schedule, 18 February 2026; Golf Magic, Golf Channel secures exclusive US TV rights to DP World Tour until 2030, 15 January 2026; US State Department, Kenya Travel Advisory (Level 3), issued 19 October 2026; Republic of Kenya, Electronic Travel Authorisation FAQs, accessed 21 October 2026; US CDC, Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease in Kenya, Level 1 Travel Health Notice, 19 October 2026; ATTA, Kenya issues new FAQ guidance on mandatory visitor health insurance, 13 October 2026.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief