Winner of the Absa Invitational tournament Samuel Njoroge Chege poses with his trophy

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Thika Sports Club professional Samuel Chege produced a sensational final-round performance to claim his maiden Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing title after winning the Absa Invitational, the fourth leg of the Tour, at Nyali Golf & Country Club. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

Chege, who had begun the day on the ninth position and three shots off the lead, mounted a remarkable comeback by firing a near-flawless 6-under par 65 to finish the tournament on 7-under par 206, the lowest total of the week.

His brilliant closing round featured seven birdies on the 1st, 4th, 5th, 7th, 11th, 16th and 17th holes, with his only blemish coming on the 12th. The victory marked the first Sunshine Development Tour title of his professional career and capped a remarkable turnaround after an opening-round 75 had left him well down the leaderboard.

Winner of the Absa Invitational tournament Samuel Njoroge Chege in action during round three of the tournament on Thursday.

An elated Chege credited his patience and determination for the victory.

“I’m really happy to get my first Sunshine Development Tour title. After the first round, I knew I had to stay patient and keep believing because there was still a lot of golf to play. I struck the ball really well over the last two rounds, gave myself chances and managed to take them. This win gives me a lot of confidence going forward, and I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout the journey.”

For his victory, Chege walked away with KES 400,000 from the tournament’s KES 2 million prize purse.

Muthaiga Golf Club’s Greg Snow and defending champion Njoroge Kibugu of Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club shared second place after both finished on 5-under par 208 overall.

Samuel Njoroge Chege celebrates his win with fellow golfers.

Snow carded a final-round 2-under par 69, courtesy of birdies on the 5th, 7th, 11th and 17th, while bogeys on the 4th and 6th prevented him from mounting a stronger title challenge.

Reflecting on his performance, Snow said: “It was a good week overall and I’m pleased with how I played. Samuel had an exceptional final round and deserved the win. There are plenty of positives to take from this week, and I’ll keep building as the season progresses.”

Kibugu, who started the day as the overnight leader and was seeking to successfully defend his Nyali title, closed with a 1-under par 70. He recovered impressively after a difficult start that saw him drop shots on the 4th, 7th and 10th, before responding with birdies on the 11th, 15th, 16th and 17th to remain in contention until the closing stages.

Despite narrowly missing out on the title, Kibugu remained encouraged by his week’s performance.

Samuel Njoroge receives his trophy from Fathiya Noordean, Absa Bank Kenya Coast Regional Manager.

“Naturally, I would have loved to defend the title, but that’s golf. I fought hard until the end and gave myself a chance. Congratulations to Samuel for a fantastic round, and I’ll take the positives into the next events.”

For their efforts, Snow and Kibugu each received KES 180,000 in prize money.

Meanwhile, Celestin Nsanzuwera of Kigali Golf Resort finished as the highest-ranked foreign player in fourth place on 3-under par 210 after returning a final-round 1-under par 70. John Lejirma and Mohit Mediratta shared fifth place on 2-under par 211 overall.

The Absa Invitational attracted a strong field of 80 golfers from across East Africa and beyond, with competitors battling not only for a share of the prize purse but also valuable Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points, which are crucial for progression to the main Sunshine Tour.

Njoroge Kibugu after winning the final leg of the Sunshine Development Tour, the Absa Invitational at Karen Country Club

By AMANDA DAMARIS

Windsor Golf & Country Club professional Njoroge Kibugu has been crowned the Order of Merit champion of the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing, following a dominant victory at the season finale, the Absa Invitational Series, played at Karen Country Club. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

Kibugu, who began the final round tied for the lead with Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera on 8-under par, delivered a composed and clinical performance, carding a final-round 6-under par 64 to pull clear and secure both the tournament title and the overall Order of Merit crown.

His final round featured seven birdies on holes 6, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15 and 18, against a single bogey on the 3rd, as he closed the tournament on an impressive 14-under par 196.

Peter Waweru, Absa Bank Kenya Head of Brand & Consumer Marketing presents a trophy to Njoroge Kibugu following his triumph at the Absa Invitational Series, at Karen Club.

The victory confirmed Kibugu’s place at the top of the final Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing Order of Merit, where he finished with 1,497 points following four tournament wins and top finishes during the season. He also walked away with KES 400,000 from the tournament’s KES 2 million prize purse.

Speaking after his win, Kibugu said: “This one means a lot to me. Coming into the season finale, I wasn’t feeling my best after the holiday break, but I trusted my game and focused on giving myself chances. I putted well and stayed patient, and that made the difference. Winning the Order of Merit feels like a real statement and a reward for the work I’ve put in. It gives me confidence and motivation for what lies ahead.”

Celestin Nsanzuwera finished second overall on 9-under par 201, after a determined final-round effort as he chased a third title on the Tour. He started strongly with birdies on the 1st and 2nd, but dropped shots on the 4th, 5th and 15th, before closing with birdies on 17 and 18 to sign for a 1-under par final round.

His runner-up finish saw him end the season second on the Order of Merit with 1,317 points, having claimed two tournament wins during the campaign.

Reflecting on his round, Nsanzuwera said: “I started well, but mistakes on holes four and five cost me momentum. I stayed focused and tried to play my game, but a few missed chances made the difference. Finishing second on the Order of Merit is still a strong result, and I’m proud of the season I’ve had.”

Taimur Malik finished as the leading amateur at Karen, producing a superb final-round 5-under par 65 to finish third on the leaderboard with a total of 8-under par 202.

Peter Waweru, Absa Bank Kenya Head of Brand & Consumer Marketing presents a trophy to Njoroge Kibugu at Karen Country Club

“It feels great to finish this way. I struggled on the first day but played really well in the second and third rounds. I hit the ball better today and was able to take advantage of my chances, which helped me finish strong,” said Malik.

Mutahi Kibugu finished fourth on 4-under par 206, while Isaiah Otuke claimed fifth place on 3-under par 205. Zimbabwe’s Visitor Mapwanya produced the lowest round of the tournament, firing a 7-under par final round, to finish tied on 2-under par 208 alongside Greg Snow and Mike Kisia.

On the final Order of Merit standings, Dismas Indiza finished third with 753 points, followed by amateur John Lejirma in fourth with 605 points, and Greg Snow in fifth with 578 points.

The Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing concludes its inaugural season having established a clear competitive pathway for professional and elite amateur golfers across the region, with the top performers now advancing to continental playoff opportunities and Sunshine Tour qualification events.

Following the Karen event, eyes now turn to the Big Easy Tour Playoff which will be held at the Modderfontein Golf Club on 27th – 29th January 2026.

Following the event, the top 12 players on the combined East Africa Swing and Big Easy Tour Order of Merit will earn direct playing cards to the Sunshine Tour.

Afterwards, the top 30 players from the SDT East Africa Swing and top 30 from South Africa’s Big Easy Tour will contest the Big Easy Tour Finals, scheduled for March 2026 in South Africa where 12 slots will be on offer to play at the Sunshine Tour Final Qualifying School for a chance to secure additional Sunshine Tour cards.