AFRICA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

February 3, 2025

Michael Karanga

Quick Quotes

Q. Your first appearance in the Africa Amateur championship this week. How much are you looking forward to the week ahead?

MICHAEL KARANGA: My intention is to come and win this tournament. This is my first time here in this tournament, but in Cape Town, I played a tournament there and I played well, like got to the finals. But this course is good, and I'm ready for it. I played a practice round. I enjoyed it. Just keeping the ball in play and score and win.

Q. You're the lowest ranked player in the field. That must give you a lot of confidence about winning this week.

MICHAEL KARANGA: Yes, I don't take it for granted. It's hard work, playing competitive golf, but I'm low am and looking forward to doing well.

Q. As well as winning the event, there's exemptions into The Open and other professional events. How much of a motivation is that for you?

MICHAEL KARANGA: That has been always my dream, to go and play with the best in the world, playing in the British Open. It's a very big achievement for me being ranked 52 in the world and now competing with the best players in the world. It's a good experience.

Q. You've set up your own foundation for golfers. What does that entail, and how much is that important to you?

MICHAEL KARANGA: I came up with that idea of MKGF; it's called Michael Karanga Golf Foundation. It's because I saw that golf in Kenya or in the world people say it's for the elite, so I started that foundation to come up with how we can assist and help those underprivileged golfers who cannot afford to play golf but they have skills.

There is a lot of talent. We have one person who is playing this championship; he's called Elvis Muigua Gatuhi. He has come from that foundation, so we are looking forward by the support of the R&A and world golf to support us and see if we can get two or three Michael Karanga and Elvis Gatuhi.

Q. That would be really satisfying for you to see more players coming and playing in these events and perhaps going on to play professionally?

MICHAEL KARANGA: It's important. This is a very good achievement; to come here is a hard one. It's not easy to be even ranked 52 in the world, to be ranked 54 or to be ranked in the world is not easy. It's hard work and commitment and support from the sponsor.