British film actor Sean Connery at the Muthaiga Golf Club, Nairobi when he took part in East Africa’s first-ever pro-am tournament in 1973.
In the 1971 Ian Fleming movie "Diamonds are Forever”, Sean Connery is seen introducing himself to a blonde, beautiful girl lazing by the seashore in a one liner; “My name is Bond, James Bond.”
This sounded cool and still does in all 007 Bond franchise movies over the last 63 years including the latest, "No time to Die" played by Craig Daniel in 2021.
But at the Muthaiga Golf Club course that hot and humid February morning in 1973, Connery was simply Sean Connery in Kenya to play in the Pro-Am category of the Kenya Open behind big names of the day then led by former British Ryder Cup team captain Dai Rees.
A record 106 golfers, including 81 professionals, teed off at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi for the start of the four-day Kenya Open, the seventh event of the Safari Series. Britain was strongly represented.
Rees played alongside former Kenyan amateur champion Burhan Marjan while Connery was partnered with fellow amateur Duncan Ndegwa, the Governor of Central, in the team led by Tony Rice of Zambia in the opening round.
Connery surprised thousands of admirers who had expected him to exhibit his acting role Midas touch. Instead, as every keen amateur golfer in front of professionals, Connery played some good shots on the par 72 course during the day to record a score of 86.
This was the defining moment for the Kenya Open which that year received very good international media review and caught the attention of the celebrity world.
But everybody wanted to be part of the real life Bond effect in Nairobi’s high society circles.
Muthaiga Golf Club course on February 3, 2024 before hosting the 2024 Magical Kenya Open.
"Diamonds are Forever" premiered at Nairobi Cinema, before being shown in other halls across major towns in Kenya. The movie was still being shown ahead of the release of "Live and Let’s Die" by the new James Bond, Roger Moore later that year.
Connery was the alpha male, the embodiment of high life, sex, violence and international espionage which depicted the British M16 spy agency as being superior to the CIA and the Russian KGB.
He was already a household name in Kenya from 1959 when he acted "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" that was shot in Thika.
From 1962 he had acted in the first Bond movie "Dr. No", followed by "From Russia with Love", "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball".
No actor was a bigger draw than Connery who arrived at the Embakasi Airport in typical Bond style -- discreet and in company of a non-Bond girl, Micheline Roquebrune whom he had married two years earlier after meeting her at a golf tournament in Morocco.
Though a Scot, Connery was never a golfer until he landed the lead role in the 1964 James Bond franchise movie, "Goldfinger" and before long became hooked to golf in real life which also changed his perception of life.
“I never had a hankering to play golf, despite growing up in Scotland just down the road from Bruntsfield Links, which is one of the oldest golf courses in the world,” explained Connery who died on October 31, 2020 aged 90, in his biography, Being a Scot.
“It wasn’t until I was taught enough golf to look as though I could outwit the accomplished golfer Gert Frobe in Goldfinger that I got the bug. I began to take lessons on a course near the Pinewood film studios and was immediately hooked on the game.
“In 1970, I won a trophy at a tournament in Morocco, La Coupe du Roi de Maroc. Then the next day I was drawn against a brilliant player who had won the women’s trophy. That was Micheline Roquebrune. We were married one year later,” wrote Connery in his biography.
He explained that golf was like a religion, very infectious.
“I began to see golf as a metaphor for living, for in golf you are basically on your own, competing against yourself and always trying to do better. If you cheat, you will be the loser, because you are cheating yourself. Over the years golf has taught me much, and its implicit codes of conduct have provided me with the nearest I have ever come to religion."
Connery opened doors for popular culture and sports celebrities to visit Kenya in years to come with Pele, the great Brazilian football legend visiting Kenya to conduct training clinics in 1976.
Former world heavy weight boxing champion Mohammad Ali visited Kenya as part of President Jimmy Carter’s shuttle diplomacy to convince American allies to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics in protest of Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.
Connery believed the sport of golf was sacred.
"A golf player is on his honour to call a shot against himself and to be considerate to other players following up behind."
