Overall Winner Felix Kandie awarded by Jane Nganga NCBA

By AMANDA DAMARIS

More players booked their spots for the fast-approaching NCBA Golf Series Grand Finale following their respective triumphs during the Diamond Leisure Lodge Monthly Mug on Saturday. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

Felix Kandie emerged the overall winner after carding 28 points. George Mokaya was the Men winner with 38 points as Pauline Nduva clinched the Lady Winner title with 37 points. Patel Kumar (38) and Daniella Gallaway (34) won the Division Two titles as Arcel Adeyemo (35) clinched the junior title.

“It was a nice round, started off with a bogey on the first hole but followed it up with a series of pars. I missed a couple of birdies, but I am impressed with the performance. I am looking forward to playing at Muthaiga and will put in more training before then. At the moment, my game is on the upward and I know I will have a good performance,” Kandie said.

The 2025 series is in final stretch ahead of the grand finale showdown, with Muthaiga set to host the final major qualifying leg at the start of November before paving way for the finale showdown later in the month.

Nyeri Golf Club, Nyahururu Golf Club, and Kericho Golf Club are set to host mini qualifiers in the form of club mugs, offering more opportunities for golfers to book their tickets.

Elsewhere, the NCBA U.S. Kids Golf Nairobi Fall Local Tour delivered yet another exciting weekend of junior golf action at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club on Sunday, marked by standout under-par rounds and closely contested categories.

Aryan Patel stole the spotlight in the Boys 7 category with a brilliant 1-under-par round as Hakeem Mutungi impressed with an incredible 3-under-par finish in the Boys 9 category. Ishaan Patel added to the list of standout performances, shooting 1-under to win the Boys 11 division in style.

Lady Winner Pauline Nduva awarded by Jane Nganga NCBA

Victor Haland took top honors in the Boys 6 & Under category with a score of +7, while Surya Bongu battled through tough conditions to claim victory in the Boys 8 division with +8. Paren Reel carded +4 to secure the Boys 10 category. In the older age groups, Adam Nesbitt posted +3 to win the Boys 12 category, George Ikirima claimed the Boys 13-14 division with +5, and Wahome Mutahi held firm to win the Boys 15-18 category on +4.

Njeri Nganga won the Girls 8 & Under title with +2 as Leticia Mwangale delivered a confident performance to win the Girls 9-10 category with +4. Ashley Gachora  carded +8 to take the Girls 11-12 division, while Siqian Yu matched that effort with +8 in the Girls 13-14 category. Shani D’Souza rounded off the winners’ list, taking home the Girls 15-18 title with a score of +30.

At the same time, Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s John Lejirma delivered an outstanding performance to win the 2025 NCBA Nyanza Open Hippo Pot with an impressive total score of 1-under-par 209 at the Nyanza Golf Club in Kisumu.

The Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) Series leader carded rounds of 70, 69, and 70 to finish first ahead of William Odek and John Koina who who finished second and third on par (69, 72, 69) and five-over par 215 (72, 71, 71), respectively.

Last year’s winner, John Kamais had to settle for eighth after carding 13-over par 223, thanks to a disappointing second round on Saturday that saw him play in excess of eight strokes.

Dismas Indiza tees off at the Shunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing Ruiru Leg.

By DANIELLA APIYO

All is set for the Johnnie Walker Classic, the sixth leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing (SDT–EAS), which will take place from 13th to 15th October 2025 at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

The tournament will see 82 golfers from across Africa battle it out for Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points, and a Ksh 2 million prize purse.

The event will be preceded by the Johnnie Walker Pro-Am on Saturday, 11th October, giving amateurs the rare chance to tee off alongside top regional professionals before the main championship begins.

This year’s Royal leg has attracted an impressive field of elite professionals and top amateurs from Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Malawi, and Burundi. It will feature 54 holes of play, with the top 30 players and ties making the cut after round two to compete in the final round on Wednesday, 15th October.

The tournament received a major boost with the announcement that Vivo Energy Kenya, the Shell licensee in Kenya, has come on board as a sponsor for the Royal leg — reinforcing its commitment to supporting the growth of professional and elite amateur golf in the country.

Speaking during the announcement, Yvonne Samantha Achieng, Marketing Manager at Vivo Energy Kenya, expressed the company’s pride in partnering with the Sunshine Development Tour, noting that the partnership aligns with the company’s broader goal of empowering communities through sport.

“We are delighted to support the development of professional and elite amateur golf in the country. This partnership reflects our strategic objectives of investing in sports that continue to shape Kenya’s reputation on the global stage,” said Ms. Achieng.

“We are looking forward to being part of the success story of Kenyan sports, and through this golf sponsorship, we hope to see more Kenyan and East African golfers excel in global tournaments such as the Magical Kenya Open and even the Olympic Games,” she added.

Peter Gacheru, IMG Kenya CEO welcomed the partnership, emphasizing the Tour’s growing role in transforming regional golf.

“We are thrilled to have Vivo Energy Kenya join hands with us for the Royal tournament. Their support demonstrates growing corporate confidence in the Tour’s role in transforming regional golf. The East Africa Swing has changed the landscape of professional golf in our region — we’re seeing stronger participation, improved performance, and increasing global recognition through world ranking points,” he said.

“With the support of partners like Johnnie Walker and Vivo Energy Kenya, we’re not just growing a tournament — we’re building a pathway for African golfers to the global stage.”

Tournament Director, David Kihara, confirmed that the Royal Nairobi Golf Club is in perfect condition and ready for play:

“Preparations are in top gear for the Royal leg. The course is in excellent condition, and we expect highly competitive golf throughout the three days. We’re delighted to see a strong international field and vibrant local participation, which reflects how far the Tour has come.”

The tournament field includes top professionals such as Celestin Nsanzuwera (Rwanda), winner of the previous leg in Kigali; Kenya’s Njoroge Kibugu, Mutahi Kibugu, Dismas Indiza, David Wakhu, Greg Snow, and John Lejirma; alongside Visitor Mapwanya (Zimbabwe), Olapade Sunday (Nigeria), and Phillip Kasozi (Uganda).

Among the female golfers set to compete are Naom Wafula (Kenya), Angel Eaton (Tanzania), Margaret Njoki (Kenya), Ashley Awuor (Kenya), Kellie Gachaga (Kenya), and Madina Hussein (Tanzania) — continuing the Tour’s commitment to inclusion and supporting women in golf.

The Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing is a professional golf circuit that provides a structured pathway for elite amateur and professional golfers in Africa. Players earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, alongside Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points that help them qualify for higher-tier tours such as the Sunshine Tour and Big Easy Tour in South Africa.