Curtis Cup star Farah O’Keefe is part of the strongest-ever representation of golfers from the United States of America for next week’s 123^rd Women’s Amateur Championship at Muirfield. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

O’Keefe, who became only the fourth player in Curtis Cup history to win all five matches in the USA’s win at Bel-Air last week, is among 40 American players travelling across the Atlantic to tee up at Muirfield as The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers welcomes a world class field.

Overall, there was a record 276 entries for the Championship as Muirfield – host to The Open on 16 occasions and the venue for the AIG Women’s Open in 2022 – stages The Women’s Amateur for the first time from 22-27 June.

Five of the top ten on the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) are competing among the 144 players in East Lothian, as well as 11 from the top 20. In total, players from 33 countries are represented in pursuit of one of the most coveted titles in the women’s amateur game.

World number three O’Keefe, the runner-up to Spain’s Paula Martín Sampedro in an absorbing 2&1 defeat at Nairn last year, is joined by two of her victorious Curtis Cup team-mates at Muirfield, Anna Davis and Jasmine Koo.

University of Texas player O’Keefe, who recently won the 2026 ANNIKA Award which honours the most outstanding female NCAA Division I collegiate golfer, said, “Muirfield is a big reason for so many American players coming over. I feel like if it was at St Andrews it would be the same deal. I think everybody just wants to go and play incredible golf courses over there, the links style.

“I know that Muirfield is incredibly famous and there is a lot of history there – and I think it’s just a really cool opportunity to put the women’s game in that kind of spotlight. I know they had the AIG Women’s Open in 2022 and now to have a Women’s Amateur is a big deal. I think it’s going to be pretty cool.”

With the victor earning a place in four major championships – The Amundi Evian Championship and AIG Women’s Open later this summer as well as the Chevron Championship and the US Women’s Open in 2027 – O’Keefe hopes to continue her impressive play at her fourth appearance in the Championship.

The 21-year-old, who is joined by defending champion Martín Sampedro at Muirfield, added, “I do want to go one better. It was a great match last summer and that might have been one of the most heartbreaking tournaments that I’ve played.

“When I went over there, I was really just going for the experience, to learn from other really good players, going with Team USA and the coaches. But then I made it to the Final, and it felt like that first 18 holes was like, ‘wow, this could really be mine.’ And then I got to the second 18 and it was completely different.

“I’ve never felt anything like that in my life where you wanted something so badly and then you don’t get it. I have more experience under my belt and the winner goes to majors so it’s definitely worth playing.”

Seven members of Great Britain and Ireland’s Curtis Cup team are also playing at Muirfield, the English group of Patience Rhodes, Sophia Fullbrook, Isla McDonald-O’Brien, Charlotte Naughton, Lily Hirst, Davina Xanh and Nellie Ong.

Ohio State’s Ong, who qualified for the recent US Women’s Open presented by Ally at Riviera, said, “I haven’t played links golf in probably a year now so I’m really excited to play because I love that style of golf, as being in America there is nothing really like it.

“The Women’s Amateur is one of the events in the calendar that you circle, just how prestigious it is. Playing in an event like that means a lot. I appreciate how lucky I am to be playing all these top golf courses and recognise that this sport can take you a lot of places. I’m very grateful for that.”

Martín Sampedro (two on WAGR®), O’Keefe (three), Andrea Revuelta from Spain (four), Sweden’s Meja Ortengren (six) and Rianne Malixi (ten) from the Philippines are all part of the impressive field.

Thailand’s Eila Galitsky, winner of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in 2023, also competes, while Vanessa Borovilos and Lauren Kim, both placed inside the world’s top 20, lead the Canadian challenge.

The Women’s Amateur Championship is one of the leading championships in amateur golf for women and girls’ golfers. The Championship, founded in 1893, annually attracts an international field with an impressive list of former winners including McCormack Medal winner Leona Maguire and major champions Georgia Hall and Anna Nordqvist.

The field will take part in stroke play on Monday 22 June and Tuesday 23 June over 36 holes. From there, 64 players will advance to the match play stage from Wednesday 24 to Saturday 27 June.

The winner will also, by tradition, earn a spot in next year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur as well as earning invitations to August’s Standard Portland Classic on the LPGA Tour and a Ladies’ European Tour event. The runner-up will gain a spot in Final Qualifying for the AIG Women’s Open.

The R&A will provide live stream coverage of the quarter-finals, semi-finals and Final (plus highlights) on www.randa.tv and The R&A’s YouTube channel, with coverage also broadcast by Sky Sports.

For more information and to view the full field, please visit www.randa.org.

NCBA Kiambu Open champion John Kamaisi in action at Kiambu Golf Club.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Attention on the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) circuit shifts to Kakamega Sports Club this weekend, where a field of 66 golfers from four countries will compete in the NCBA Goldfields Trophy. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

The tournament, which will be played from Friday to Sunday, has attracted players from Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, all seeking valuable KAGC Order of Merit points, a share of the KES 500,000 prize purse, and an opportunity to strengthen their standing as the season approaches its halfway mark.

The Kenyan challenge will be led by some of the circuit’s top performers, including Kiambu Open winner John Kamaisi, NCBA Ronald Marshall & Toby Gibson Matchplay champion Elvis Muigua, Golf Park’s Josphat Rono, Amos Odongo, Ken Serem and home player Cedric Konzolo.

Regional competition is expected from a strong Rwandan contingent led by Hitayezu Jean D’Amour, Felix Dusabe, Alain Niyonkuru and Jacques Byiringiro. Uganda will be represented by Abraham Olupot, Robert Masaba, Ben Okanya and Lawrence Okwii, while Burundi’s Salum Nkurunziza will also be in the field.

The tournament is guaranteed to crown a new champion following the transition of two-time winner John Lejirma to the professional ranks earlier this year. Lejirma claimed both the 2024 and 2025 editions before turning professional.

The event follows last week’s NCBA Ruiru Open, where Muthaiga Golf Club’s Eugene Wafula secured his maiden KAGC title after carding a tournament total of two-under-par 217 to edge out John Kamaisi by a single stroke.

Speaking ahead of the weekend’s events, NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora said the bank remains committed to supporting golf development across all levels of the game.

“This weekend highlights the diversity of golf development in Kenya. The NCBA Goldfields Trophy will bring together some of the region’s leading amateur golfers competing for ranking points and Order of Merit honours, while the NCBA Golf Series continues to provide club golfers with opportunities to compete and progress towards the Grand Finale. We are encouraged by the continued growth in participation across both circuits and remain committed to supporting the game at every level.”

Limuru Country Club’s Roy Nichola follows the path of his tee shot during the NCBA Golf Series at his home club.

Meanwhile, the 2026 NCBA Golf Series continues with its sixteenth qualifying leg at Karen Country Club on Saturday, where more than 200 golfers are expected to tee off.

Participants will compete for top honours and qualification slots to the NCBA Golf Series Grand Finale, which will be staged at Karen Country Club in November.

The Series has continued to attract strong participation across the country, with golfers competing for a chance to qualify for the season-ending event that brings together winners and top performers from qualifying legs staged throughout the year.

The two events form part of NCBA’s broader golf sponsorship programme, which spans junior, amateur, professional and club golf, reflecting the bank’s long-term commitment to growing the sport across Kenya and the wider region.