2025 Magical Kenya Open betting tips: Our expert’s top picks in Nairobi

Our resident betting expert picks out his top Magical Kenya Open betting tips ahead of the DP World Tour event.

The DP World Tour’s ‘International Swing’ kicks back into action after a one-week sabbatical at the Magical Kenya Open in Nairobi, for the first of three tournaments on the African continent.

The Kenya Open’s history dates back to 1967, boasting an impressive roll call of champions including a certain 20-year-old Spaniard named Severiano Ballesteros who claimed his only win on the Safari Tour in 1978. Ian Woosnam (1986) and Trevor Immelman (2000) also emerged victorious in Kenya before following in Seve’s footsteps to become green jacket winners at Augusta National.

Dutchman Darius van Driel returns to Nairobi as the defending champion after securing his maiden DPWT title to date in 2024 with a two-shot victory over England’s Joe Dean and Spaniard Nacho Elvira.

Before we get to my betting tips, here’s everything else you need to know…

Magical Kenya Open key details

Venue: Muthaiga Golf Club, Nairobi (Par 71 – 7,228 yards)

Format: 72-hole strokeplay with 36-hole cut

Purse: $2.5 million with the winner receiving $425,000

Race to Dubai / Ryder Cup points: 3,500 / 1,000

Favorites: Jorge Campillo (22/1); Sebastian Soderberg (22/1); Hao Tong Li (25/1)

Defending champion: Darius van Driel (NED), -14

Most wins: Maurice Bembridge (ENG), 3

How to watch the Magical Kenya Open

US viewers can catch all the action on Golf Channel.

All times EST

Thursday, February 20: The Golf Channel, 05.00
Friday, February 21: The Golf Channel, 05.00
Saturday, February 22: The Golf Channel, 04.30
Sunday, February 23: The Golf Channel, 04.00

UK viewers can catch all the action on Sky Sports Golf.

All times GMT

Thursday, February 20: Sky Sports Golf, 10.00
Friday, February 21: Sky Sports Golf, 10.00
Saturday, February 22: Sky Sports Golf, 09.30
Sunday, February 23: Sky Sports Golf, 09.00

Magical Kenya Open tee times

Tee times and groupings can be found here.

Magical Kenya Open betting tips

The Banker: John Parry

40/1 e/w (Paddy Power 7 Places)

John Parry enjoyed a fantastic year on the Challenge Tour last season, winning three times and earning battlefield promotion to the DP World Tour. He then hit the ground running quickly, winning on just his 4th start of the new season, at the Mauritius Open.

Parry’s first four starts on the DP World Tour this season read 8-MC-2-1, and while that might just be considered a purple patch, following a strong year on the Challenge Tour, I think in the right spots he’s worth revisiting.

2025 started poorly for Parry missing his first three cuts, but that’s not a surprise given he’s never really impressed in the Middle East throughout his career. With that in mind, the 21st at the Qatar Masters where he was 7th at halfway looks even better, and that course doesn’t really play to his strengths.

This one in Kenya does though, and he finished 23rd here 12 months ago to confirm that is the case. He’s also coming into this event in great form with his irons, having led the field in SG: Approach at the Qatar Masters, while also ranking 5th for SG: Tee to Green overall.

Parry’s record in Africa is good, with a win in Mauritius, a runner-up finish in South Africa at the Alfred Dunhill, and four more top 10s in the region, so a return to Kenya should certainly bring the best out in him, while he’s in this sort of form.

The Outsider: Martin Couvra

60/1 e/w (Paddy Power 7 Places)

Martin Couvra has made a quick start to life on the DP World Tour, and the talented Frenchman who won on the Challenge Tour two years ago, can now get his first win at the next level.

Couvra turned pro in 2023 and picked up that first win very early on, on the Challenge Tour. While he couldn’t back that up with another in 2025, he did what he needed to do to make it to the DP World Tour. Some of his best efforts last year came in Africa, when he finished 6th in the Cape Town Open, 4th in the NMB Championship, and perhaps most impressively, T7 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, once joining the DP World Tour.

He’s backed that up with back-to-back top-5 finishes in Bahrain and Qatar, and now he might be playing the most suitable course yet. Couvra relies on accuracy rather than distance off the tee, and while he hasn’t let his lack of pop off the tee affect him yet, he will surely be happier on a course where his superior accuracy is rewarded instead.

Two starts ago in Bahrain, Couvra led the field in SG: Approach, and if he can find similar form here with his irons, he’s going to put himself right in the mix, in a region he’s clearly enjoyed, albeit for the most part in South Africa.

The Long Shot: Santiago Tarrio

175/1 e/w (Paddy Power 7 Places)

The DP World Tour has certain spots in the schedule where out of nowhere a course specialist can come good, and I think that could be the case for Spaniard, Santiago Tarrio.

He’s been in pretty miserable form for a while now, but just last week he finished T15 on the HotelPlanner Tour (formerly the Challenge Tour) suggesting there is some reason for optimism as he returns to one of his favorite spots. We have just seen Pablo Larrazabal almost win in Bahrain under similar conditions, and while he’s nowhere near as talented or as accomplishes as his compatriot, it’s a further sign that good things can happen on the right course.

In three starts in this event, Tarrio has finished 26th, 3rd, and 11th. When 3rd in 2023 he has finished 13th at the Hero Indian Open the start before, but he’s generally come into this event in pretty poor form in the past and still got a result. Considering he was 15th last week, and has less travel to do this week, having played in South Africa, I could see him getting off to a hot start here, and potentially holding on.

Live Couvra, Tarrio isn’t the longest off the tee, so he needs this sort of setup and that is why you have generally been able to count on him performing at this course over the past three years. Hopefully last week’s effort is enough of a confidence boost for him to pull out another top finish here, as he look for him to break into the top 7 for the second time in four starts in Kenya.