KCB Director Corporate Banking John Okulo in action during the second leg of the KCB East Africa Golf Tour at Eldoret Golf Club on February 24, 204.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

A huge field of over 200 players is expected to grace par 72 Kakamega Golf Club on Saturday, during the third leg of the KCB East Africa Golf Tour at the luscious course.

Action is expected to tee off at 6:30 am as the large field, which includes members from the Kakamega Golf Club and guest players from around the country, battle to join the winning teams from Mombasa, and Eldoret in the tour’s grand finale slated for December 6.

Speaking ahead of the regional tourney, Kakamega Golf Club Captain James Anzabwa said: “Kakamega is proud to be associated with the KCB East Africa Golf Tour for the second year running. This weekend will be a competitive showpiece as we expect top amateur players to participate in the tournament. I can assure them that the greens are okay, and the fairways are wide enough.”

So far, the tournament has reached over 300 participants in total from the previous opening legs in Mombasa, and Eldoret Golf Clubs. This year the tour is expected to feature 3000 golfers, 1000 juniors and 500 ladies.

“Our aim is to expand this sport and improve it to an elite level so that we can have players with the skills set to participate in local, regional, and international competitions. Kakamega has become a fortress in golf therefore we cannot afford to omit them in our calendar. We look forward to crowning the winners who will take part in the grand finale,” noted KCB Group Director Marketing and Communications Rosalind Gichuru.

The Bank has partnered with Beulah City Ltd, a property firm, who have committed to give an apartment (in the Ikhaya Beulah Genesis project) valued at KShs.2.1 million as the hole in one prize for every leg of the 2024 tour.

In addition to the amateur series, the third leg tournament will see a golf clinic hosted on Sunday which will target junior golfers.

Over the past decade, KCB has spent over KShs. 400 million in golf sponsorships with a robust aim of building the sport to an elite level and to create a pool of talent that can compete in local, and regional tournaments.

Golfer Jared Omondi follows the path of his tee shot during the second leg of the 2024 NCBA Golf Series held at Nakuru Golf Club(1)

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

The 2024 NCBA Golf Series heads to the North Rift region this weekend as the nine-hole Eldoret Golf Club set to play host to the third leg of the series.

The tournament has attracted over 100 top golfers from the Eldoret Club, as well as from neighboring clubs including Nandi Bears, Kericho, Kitale, Nakuru, and some from Nairobi. They will be battling it out for the series top honors and a chance to secure slots to play at the Grand Finale set for later in the year.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora noted that the event is an important platform for golfers to showcase their golfing skills.

“We are delighted to be headed to Eldoret for the third leg of the 2024 NCBA Golf Series. We aim to provide an opportunity to golfers in the North Rift a chance to not only compete in the series but also to get to improve their skills by playing against top golfers. This is also an opportunity for us to engage with our diverse stakeholders in the larger North Rift region and we therefore look forward to it.”

On his part, Club captain Dr. Mathew Koech expressed confidence in the event’s success noting the great anticipated turnout as well as the superb course conditions.

“We are grateful to NCBA for the opportunity to be part of the NCBA Golf Series. NCBA has been an important partner, and this event further serves to strengthen our relationship. We anticipate a great turnout with over 100 golfers of our club members as well as from neighboring clubs already signed up for the tournament. The greens are also in good condition thanks to the recent rains, and we therefore anticipate a highly successful tournament.”

The Eldoret event follows the successful Nakuru Golf Club’s leg held on March 23^rd where John Mburu carded a solid round of 37 Stableford points to claim the men’s Division One title. The Ladies Division One category was won by handicapped 7-player Emma Pennington with a score of 33 Stableford points.

In Division Two, handicap 16 Joseph Munene’s 42 points earned him the top honors among the men in the category while Esther Karuga (handicap 18) reigned supreme in the ladies category with a score of 39 points. At the same time, Esther Thuku playing off handicap 35 claimed the top honors in Division Three and emerged triumphant after amassing a total of 46 points.

After the Eldoret leg, the Series will be back in action on April 20 when Ruiru Sports Club hosts the fourth leg of the series which comprises 23 legs played across various golf clubs across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship series is set to resume this weekend at the par-72 Thika Sports Club for the 2024 Winston Churchill tournament, running from April 5th to 7^th.

Organized by the Thika Sports Club Tournaments Committee and supported by NCBA Bank as the title sponsor, the tournament has drawn 111 top Kenyan and Ugandan amateurs who will vie for cash prizes and opportunities to earn points in both the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

Among the notable players poised to take on the greens are reigning top-ranked amateur in Kenya, Elvis Muigua from Kiambu Golf Club, Adel Balala of Nyali Golf & Country Club who recently triumphed at the Muthaiga Open, and defending champion Dennis Maara from Limuru Country Club.

Kenya’s talent pool also includes 2022 Summer Deaflympics bronze medalist Isaac Makokha, Josephat Rono representing Golf Park, and John Lejirma from the Kenya Railway Golf Club.

The Ugandan contingent includes Titus Okwong from Uganda Golf Club, Dominic Musoke and Kakooza Abdallah of Mary Louise Simkins Memorial Golf Club, Andrew Ssekibejja from Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort, and Joseph Kasozi from Kinyara Golf Club.

Home player Betty Ndenderu, Eunice Kilonzo of the Kenya Railway Golf Club, and Anne Kanyori of Thika Greens are the three lady golfers ready to compete shoulder-to-shoulder with their male counterparts.

Moses Gatonye, captain of Thika Sports Club, expressed excitement about hosting this prestigious event in their golf calendar, anticipating fierce competition. He stated, “We are thrilled to welcome golfers from near and far to the Winston Churchill Golf Tournament. This event not only celebrates the sport of golf but also offers players a platform to showcase their skills. With a strong field comprising top amateurs from Kenya and Uganda, we expect nothing short of thrilling golfing action.”

The 2024 Winston Churchill Golf Tournament has been sponsored by NCBA Bank as title sponsors, STIHL, and Vivo Energy-Shell.