Frederic Lacroix shot a second-round 62 to share the halfway lead with Casey Jarvis at the 2026 Magical Kenya Open presented by absa.
At 13 under par, the pair held a two-shot lead over the field as they attempted to wrestle the limelight from Kenya’s Njoroge Kibugu, who delighted the home crowd by making the cut with an eagle at the last.
Shot of the day. Shot of the week. Shot of his life!
Njoroge Kibugu needed a birdie at the 18th hole to make the cut and did THIS.#MKO2026 pic.twitter.com/r2Gu6kYLn1
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 20, 2026
Jarvis’s fellow South African Hennie du Plessis fired a stunning 61, which would have been a course record had preferred lies not been in play at Karen Country Club, to share third place with Spain’s Angel Ayora and Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia.
After finishing his opening 65 with an eagle to build momentum, Lacroix had four birdies before the turn and the same again afterwards for a brilliant 62.
He said: “I’m super happy about today. I made a couple of good putts and it was just a solid round off the tee with no mistakes.
“This morning was a bit colder, a bit more humid, so the ball is not going to travel that much. Yesterday evening was very hot and dry, and there’s a few out there that are going to be bad – you just hit it and it never stops.
“It’s one of those where if you miss a shot off the tee, you get in trouble very quickly. I think it’s more managing some holes you can be aggressive, sometimes you can’t, especially with different pins. If you live in the middle of the fairway, you’re going to be alright.”
Jarvis looked set to lead on his own after adding seven birdies to the ten he made in his opening 62.
Dropped shots at the fifth and sixth left him tied with Lacroix but the South African, chasing his maiden DP World Tour win, said: “I think just sticking to the game plan was important out there. A lot of drivers, trying to stay really aggressive off the tee and taking advantage of that.
“The ball flew a little shorter in the morning but the game plan was the same – to be aggressive, and that’s pretty much what I did.
“It’s nice putting myself into these positions. Obviously, I get more comfortable with it. I’ve had two wins on the Sunshine Tour (last November’s Hyundai Open and Vodacom Origins of Golf), so I kind of know what the feeling is now.”
Du Plessis birdied nine of his first 12 holes – “I guess I had it going,” he modestly noted afterwards – and would have had a 59 in his sights but for bogeys at the 14th and 16th.
He regained those shots at the last two holes and said: “I’m very happy to finish with two birdies.
“The front nine isn’t the easiest and I hit it flawless, made a couple of good putts and I’m very happy with how I finished.”
Gouveia shot a bogey-free 65 while Ayora fired seven birdies to match that score. The Spaniard said: “I’m feeling very good, my putting is good and from the tee I’m hitting very good.
“The back nine today I had plenty of opportunities, and I’m happy with my game. The only thing I can do is be calm and enjoy my game, I play my best when I’m chilling.”
Francesco Laporta and Davis Bryant were a shot further back at 10 under with first-round co-leader Niklas Lemke among the group at nine under.
How it stands at the top in Kenya 📊#MKO2026 pic.twitter.com/Jra0i1i2st
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 20, 2026
© DP World Tour
