Overall Gross Lady Winner Cherono Kipkorir in action during Royal Nairobi Golf Club leg of the 2025 NCBA Golf Series.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA

Teenage sensation Cherono Kipkorir punched above her weight to emerge the Overall Gross Lady Winner during the Royal Nairobi Golf Club leg of the 2025 NCBA Golf Series on Saturday, September 14, 2025. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

The 15-year-old, who won this leg of the series during the 2021 edition, carded an impressive 79 strokes playing off handicap 7 to floor the ladies on the course and book her spot for the Grand Finale set to be held at Muthaiga Golf Club on November 28, 2025.

Kevin Juma, the 2025 Royal Nairobi Golf Club Champion, played to his status and emerged the Overall Men Winner after scoring 71 off handicap 2, joining Cherono on the list of golfers heading to the finale, from a field of 263 golfers that turned up at Royal.

Tesha Magira in action during Royal Nairobi Golf Club leg of the 2025 NCBA Golf Series.

Brian Gachuba (handicap 6) emerged the Division One winner with 39 points as John Juma (handicap 19) and Flora Mutahi (handicap 24) won the men and lady Division Two titles with 44 points a-piece. Tribhovan Chavda won the Division Three title after carding 43 points.

Cherise Wachira (handicap 11) posted 37 points to emerge the junior winner and also make the list of six who will represent the club at Muthaiga in November, the others being Cherono, Kevin Juma, John Juma, Mutahi, and Chavda.

Alex Kiome and Joseph Mokaya were the guest and staff winners respectively, scoring 38 and 36 points in that order.

Apart from winning the junior title, Wachira also had the longest drive among ladies as Collins Too took the honors among men. Hesbon Odumbe and Mary Cox hit closest to the pin.

Overall Gross Men Kevin Juma is awarded by the NCBA Kenya Managing Director James Gossip after triumphing at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club leg of the 2025 NCBA Golf Series

NCBA Kenya Managing Director James Gossip said: Congratulations to the winners for the day. I hope everyone enjoyed today even as we gear toward the grand finale at Muthaiga. AT NCBA, we will continue giving golfers a platform to grow not just on the course, but also in life.”

Action in the series now heads to Nanyuki Golf Club on Saturday, September 20, where more golfers will be looking to secure their spots in the grand finale as the series enters the homestretch.

John Lejirma of Royal Nairobi Golf Club in action during the Shunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing in Ruiru.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Kenya’s top amateur golfer, John Lejirma of Royal Nairobi Golf Club, has set his sights firmly on making a strong impression at the SportsBiz Africa Golf Championship, the fifth leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, set to tee off this week from 3rd to 5th September at the Kigali Golf Resort & Villas. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

Lejirma, who has been one of the standout amateurs across the Swing so far, believes his preparation and growing experience from the earlier tournaments will give him a strong platform to compete against an elite field of professionals from across Africa.

He has already proven his pedigree by finishing second at the Ruiru leg, where he took veteran Dismas Indiza to a dramatic playoff, further cementing his reputation as one of the brightest prospects in East African golf.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, Lejirma said his approach has been centered on keeping things simple and disciplined:

“My preparation has been about keeping things simple. I’ve been working on my consistency, sharpening my short game, and staying mentally strong, and I’m looking forward to competing at my best.”

He added that his technical focus has been on two specific areas of his game that could give him the edge in Kigali: “I’ve really been working on my putting and approach play from 150 yards coming down. I feel those improvements will give me a good chance this week.”

Having already tested himself against some of the best players in the region during the Thika and Ruiru events, Lejirma says that the chance to go toe-to-toe with seasoned professionals has been both humbling and motivating.

John Lejirma tees off at the Shunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing at Ruiru Sports Club.

“Testing my game as an amateur is always a huge opportunity. Playing against experienced pros pushes me to raise my own level and shows me exactly where I need to improve. It’s motivating because you get to measure your game against some of the very best.”

The 2025 Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing has provided a rare platform for amateurs like Lejirma, as the events carry not just Sunshine Development Tour order of merit points but also Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points. This means every strong finish has a tangible impact on career progression and global recognition.

Lejirma says his expectations for Kigali are clear: “My personal expectations for this fifth leg of the Tour are just about putting myself in contention again and building on the lessons from previous events. If I can stay focused on my process, the results will follow.”

As one of the leading amateurs on the Tour’s Order of Merit standings, Lejirma represents the growing crop of Kenyan golfers using the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing as a platform to prepare for the professional ranks while also chasing points that could boost their global visibility.

The SportsBiz Africa Golf Championship, sponsored by SportsBiz Africa, Johnnie Walker (EABL), Kigali Golf Resort & Villas, and Pure Travel, has attracted 121 golfers from across 16 countries and will serve as a precursor to the SportsBiz Africa Forum, a two-day conference in Kigali focused on advancing Africa’s sports industry.