Kenneth Mwige, Director General of the Kenya Vision 2030 makes a ceremonial tee-off during the launch of the 2025 NCBA Golf Series at Railway Golf Club.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

The 2025 NCBA Golf activities were officially launched today at the Kenya Railway Golf Club marking the start of another thrilling golfing journey across East Africa. The activities will include, the NCBA Golf Series now in its 5th edition, the renewal of partnerships with the Kenya Golf Union (KGU) and the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF). For the first time, NCBA has also partnered with the Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK). These partnerships aim to bolster golf at all levels, from juniors to professionals closing the loop on building a sustainable golf development framework. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

NCBA has committed a total investment of KES 60 million for its 2025 golf activities. Through the partnerships, KGU received KES 6 Million to facilitate the 2025 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) Series which starts on the 24th of January 2025 at Sigona Golf Club, while JGF received KES 12 Million to support junior golf events throughout the year, focusing on nurturing young talent and expanding access to the game. On the other hand, the Professional Golfers of Kenya received a three-month starter kit of KES 1.2 Million in support of its programs.

A total of 41 NCBA Golf Series qualifier events will be staged throughout the year, with Vet-Lab Sports Club hosting the first leg on January 25th, 2025, before traversing the region.

The 2025 NCBA-sponsored events calendar will see a total of 159 events held across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, an increase from 130 events held in 2024 https://www.kenyagolfguide.co.ke/2024/12/01/sarah-nyareru-crowned-overall-winner-at-the-2024-ncba-golf-series-grand-finale.html.

The golf activities will also include an impressive 49 junior events in Kenya, 22 in Uganda, and 3 in Tanzania. Rwanda will host its 1st junior event and golf clinic as NCBA intensifies its efforts to inspire and develop the next generation of golfers.

Speaking during the launch, NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora said; “We are excited to launch the 2025 NCBA Golf activities. This shows our continued commitment to investing and growing the sport of golf in Kenya and beyond as we get to engage with our customers. Over the last 5 years, we have held several tournaments across Kenya and even extended our reach into the East African region. With the vision to build talent that can comfortably participate in the global arena and represent countries with pride.”

Furthermore, Mr. Gachora outlined the impact of junior golf, pledging the Group’s continued support for the budding golfers: “I am pleased to highlight the considerable progress we have witnessed over the past few years with junior golfers improving their game as evidenced in their incredible scores. Recently, during the NCBA Kenya Invitational, we had remarkable performances, including one junior golfer achieving an impressive 10-under par score. At NCBA, we believe that the future of golf lies in nurturing young talent. Through this partnership, we are investing in junior tournaments, training programs, and mentorship initiatives that will empower the next generation of golfers.”

On his part, KGU Chairman David Ndungu expressed gratitude to NCBA for their continued partnership and support. “As the Kenya Golf Union, we are delighted to continue our partnership with NCBA. As we all know, the KAGC Series presents amateur golfers with a platform to compete at the highest level and we remain thankful to NCBA for continuing to support that mission. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to nurturing golfing talent and promoting the sport’s growth in Kenya and beyond. We look forward to a competitive and exciting season ahead.”

PGK Chairman John Wangai expressed optimism about the partnership’s role in Professional Golf development. “Our partnership with NCBA is a major step forward for Professional Golf in Kenya. It provides a platform for professional players to compete at higher levels while also encouraging the growth of the sport. We are confident that this partnership will raise the standards of professional golf in Kenya, allowing players to showcase their talent and inspire the next generation of golfers.”

The development of Golf sits under NCBA`s Change The Story platform which targets to deliver 15 Sustainability Commitments: Championing inclusive sports, supporting communities, enabling skills building, and driving environmental stewardship. Today NCBA has planted and donated indigenous tree seedlings to Kenya Railway Golf Club, contributing to the Group’s ambitious goal of planting 10 million trees by 2030.

Shashwat Harish, best performer of the 2025 NCBA Kenya Invitational poses for a photo with his trophy at the Windsor Golf Club.

By DANIELA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Shashwat Harish was again in a class of his own as he played under par for the third consecutive day. Harish saved the best for last and played an impressive six under par 66. In the first round, he played two under par 70, the same score he got on the second day. His total for the tournament is an impressive ten under par 206, his best-ever score in any competition. He promised to play better in the final round, and he delivered.

“It was there, the drive to do well but it wasn’t like I was gunning for it. I hit great shots, I put the ball close, I made good putts but at the end of the day, what made the difference is I’m getting to know my game very well,” said Harish.

Shashwat said he was mentally more prepared and took the opportunities when they came his way. Despite the strong winds at the Windsor Golf and Country Club, Shashwat was able to control his game and took advantage of the intensive training he had put in over the last four months.

“I get to the course an hour before the competition just to hit balls. I also go to the gym as the first thing just to get the body moving and get in shape. I stick to my routine not just physically, but mentally as well by getting in the right space. These things are very important,” elaborated Harish.

Aiden Gachora, who started in fifth position on day one, played an impressive level par in round three to move to second behind Shashwat with a score of 13 over par 229. Mwathi Gicheru and Shashank Sachin tied for third with a score of 14 over par 230, just one shot behind Gachora.

The other competitive group was the girls 15-18 years category. Maryam Mwakitawa and Audrey Gachora played identical two over par 74 in round two, but Mwakitawa held a one-shot lead overall going into the final third round. The final round witnessed another tie, Audrey Gachora and Bianca Ngecu both with a score of five over par 77. Mwakitawa, who had a rough day on the course, managed a score of nine over par 81. This gave Gachora the overall lead with a score of 15 over par 231, three strokes better than Mwakitawa. Gachora had promised to turn the tables on Mwakitawa in the final round.

“I didn’t have that much confidence but in my heart, I felt I was going to win. My highest moment was when I got two birdies on the par fives, and I was going really well at one over(par). But then I bogeyed hole number nine, then my lowest moment came when unfortunately I got an eight on a par four putting me at five over par, but then I stayed at that to the end,” she explained.

For Mwakitawa, it was a day to forget as nothing seemed to be working well for her.

”My tee shots were quite challenging. I couldn’t keep my drivers straight, I couldn’t go where I wanted to go, I struggled because I found myself in the rough most of the time. I was fighting for pars and birdies but some doubles (bogeys) came along the way, I turned at level par and I guess I got too eager and everything just blew up in my face,” she explained.

The NCBA Invitational has attracted more than 116 golfers from 10 countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe.  The three-day tournament will conclude on Monday. The event is crucial as it will count for the order of merit points for non-handicapped and handicapped boys and girls between 15 -18 years old in the Kenyan Junior Golf Foundation system for the year 2024. It is also an event where they will earn World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points.