Rwandan pro Celestine Nsanzuwera is joined in celebrations by his fellow golfers following his triumph at the Sunshine Development East Africa Johnnie Walker Classic in Diani.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera produced a stunning comeback to post a score of 5-under-par in the final round and clinch the fourth leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, dubbed the SunDev East Africa Swing Johnnie Walker Classic held at the Diamonds Leisure Golf Club in Diani. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

Coming into the final round in second place on the leaderboard with a total of 1-under-par 143, Celestin capitalized on Dismas Indiza’s missteps to secure the championship. He played a flawless front nine, picking up birdies on the 2nd, 4th, 8th, and 9th holes.

On the back nine, he started shakily with a bogey on the 10th after his second shot ricocheted off a tree near the green. He recovered with a birdie on the 12th but dropped shots on the 14th and 17th holes, briefly relinquishing his lead to Indiza. However, he held his nerve and finished with a birdie on the 18th to reclaim the lead and seal victory.

Celestin said, “I feel excited. This win came from nowhere, but I gave it my all and stuck to my game plan. From holes 16 to 18, I knew Indiza was playing well, but I kept my focus. I made a mistake on 17 with my putting, but I stayed calm and capitalized on his error at the last hole. I’ve been close since the tour started, so I’m happy to finally win. It’s even more special as I head to the next event in Kigali, my home, full of confidence and hoping to win again there.”

Rwandan pro Celestin Nsanzuwera poses with his trophy following his triumph at the SunDev East Africa Johnnie Walker Classic in Diani.

Celestin pocketed KES 400,000 and 210 Order of World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points for his victory.

Indiza, who began the day with a solid 5-under-par total, had a turbulent front nine with bogeys on the 3rd and 7th holes, offset by birdies on the 4th and 9th.

His trouble began on the 10th, when his tee shot veered off the fairway. In attempting to recover, he struck the same tree that had caught Celestin earlier, resulting in a costly double bogey. He bounced back with a birdie on the 11th but dropped another shot on the 13th.

A late rally with birdies on the 15th and 17th put him back ahead briefly, but a disastrous triple bogey on the 18th, after finding the bush, then the bunker, ended his title hopes.

Indiza said, “I came into the event with a strong lead, but Celestin pushed me hard from the start. The 10th hole really cost me after my tee shot went into the bush. I fought back and even took the lead on 17, but the last hole undid everything. I tried to recover, but the bunker sealed my fate.”

The Kakamega Sports Club pro who had failed to make the cut at the Nyali event took home KSh 214,000 and 172.5 points for his efforts.

Rwandan pro Celestin Nsanzuwera poses with his trophy following his triumph at the SunDev East Africa Johnnie Walker Classic in Diani.

Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo finished third after a 2-under-par final round, ending with an even-par total of 216. His round included birdies on the 2nd, 4th, 13th, 14th, and 18th, offset by bogeys on the 7th and a double bogey on the 9th.

Rugumayo said, “I told myself to go out there and give it my best. I stuck to my game plan, corrected mistakes from earlier rounds, and it worked. I’m happy to finish third.” He earned KSh 144,700 and 116.7 OWGR points.

Nyali leg champion Njoroge Kibugu took fourth place after carding a 2-under-par 70 in the final round for a tournament total of 2-over-par 218. His round featured birdies on the 1st, 2nd, 9th, 13th, and 16th, with bogeys on the 10th, 11th, and 12th.

The Diani event attracted 61 top professional and elite amateur golfers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ghana, Nigeria, and Malawi.

Following the Diani event, the tour takes a brief break and resumes next month with the fifth leg at the Kigali Golf Resort & Villas in Rwanda from 3rd to 5th September. The golfers will not only be vying for a stake of the prize fund but also for Sunshine Development Tour points, Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, which will be on offer. These not only boost players’ global standings but also open doors to major regional and international tournaments – including potential qualification for the Olympic Games.

The Diani event was sponsored by EABL through the Johnnie Walker brand, Magical Kenya, and Pure Travels, who sponsored the hole-in-one prize.