ENGLISHMAN Robert Dinwiddie is the 2010 Kenya Open champion!

He was presented with the winner’s cheque of 30, 300 Euro (Ksh 3.3 million) by Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki at the conclusion of the 190, 000 (Ksh 19 million) Professional Golfers Association (PGA) European Tour Challenge Tour event.

The player currently ranked first of the Challenge Tour after two events with earnings of 38, 411 Euro, and who turned professional in 2006, yesterday posted six under par 65 at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course to finish with a 72-hole aggregate of 12-under 272. He is also ranked 204 in the main European Tour where he has earned 6, 890 Euro after two events.

He finished by three shots ahead of his closest challenger, Argentine Oliver Zapata, who had a 72-hole aggregate of 275, having played four-under-par 67 in yesterday’s round. The Argentine pocketed 20. 900 Euro (Ksh 2.9million).

Finishing in third place was the overnight leader Oliver Fisher of England who had a rather unlucky day playing level par of the crucial final day. He completed a 72-hole aggregate of 8-under 276. He to home a prize purse of 13, 300Euro(Ksh 1.3.3 million).

Dinwiddie enjoyed an impressive rookie season on The European Tour with five top tens helping him to 72nd on the Order of Merit after graduating from the Challenge Tour the previous season.

He showed he has the ability to shoot low, highlighted by his course record 63 in the BMW PGA Championship.

The player qualified for the US Open and finished a highly creditable joint 36th in his first US Major.

He boasted of a formidable amateur record before turning professional at the end of 2006 when he graduated from the University of Tennessee State playing in the 2005 Walker Cup and collecting the 2005 Scottish and Welsh Amateur Open Stroke Play Championships as well as the English edition in 2006.

After turning pro, he took a few months to find his feet on the 2007 Challenge Tour, but never looked back after a third place finish at the Credit Suisse Challenge. Weeks later he secured his maiden professional win at the Scottish Challenge presented by Bank of Scotland Corporate. He waited just seven days to add a second title – the Rolex Trophy – and essentially secure his European Tour card.

Another Englishman finished ion fourth place on 7-under par 277 after carding two par 69 in the final round.

Kenya’s hero in this year’s Open Ali Kimani mentored by Kenya’s leading teaching pro Charles Farrar, yesterday made an unsuccessful bid for top honours, returning one-over 72, for a 72-hole aggregate of one-under -283, for a joint 24th position finish.