Kenya captain Belinda Wanjiru

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

South Africa national junior team took a commanding lead as the 2026 All Africa Junior Golf Teams Championships round one ended at the par 72 Windsor Golf and Country Club.

Kenya settled for the second spot after the first 18-holes in the annual continental showpiece that has brought together 14 countries.

South Africa represented by Andries Van Der Vyver, Cilliers Craig, Dewan De Bruin, Roelof Craig, Phenyo Sebata, Lourenda Steyn and Casey Twidale managed a joint score of eight under. Andries Van Der Vyver who managed a personal score of four under par 72, the best score of the day anchored them. He had a brilliant first nine, where he picked a birdie on the par four first hole, dropped a shot on the per four second hole, before sinking four more birdies on holes three, five, six and nine.

His compatriot Phenyo Sebata had the second best score for the day, managing three under par 72. Dewan De Bruin also from South Africa said he was happy that his team had taken a commanding lead in the competition despite the fact that he did not register a score that he expected.

“It’s my first time in Kenya and I love it here. Today I was hitting the ball well today, striking it well played level 72, so it was not a bad day in out, but I just didn’t find the bottom of the cup. The course is in a great condition, it is a tough layout, but was a bit slow for me. Now I’m focused to play ggod golf in the last two days and just enjoy myself,” De Bruin said.

Team Kenya made up of Tsevi Soni, Junaid Ayaz Manji, Yuvraj Rajput, Mwathi Gicheru, Bianca Ngecu, Kanana Muthomi and Belinda Wanjiru secured the second spot on the leader board on a joint score of 11 over at the end of the first day.

Tsevi Soni 16, registered the best score for the home team, managing level par 72, while Junaid Ayaz Manji had one over par 73 and Bianca Ngechu was the best placed girl player in the team on three over par.

Kenya’s Bianca Ngechu

Soni began his round with a false start, playing a bogey on the par 4 hole one, but recovered with a birdie on the par 5 hole three to finish the first nine on level par 36. He had an identical score on the back nine.

“I had a pretty good starting round, but it could have definitely been a lot better. No many mistakes today, I hitted the ball well today, putted well, chipped well. I can’t complain,” said Soni.

He added: “In the last two rounds I just want to control my game and avoid dropping any shots.”

Bianca Ngechu said: “My day one was ok, I started off well and I enjoyed my game. The front nine was raining and I really struggled with my putting, but in the second nine, my putting was much better. Now I want to work on my short game in the remaining two days to register better scores.”

“Today was quite tough. My first nine was just ok, but in the second nine things were not working, putts were not dropping. My chipping was also not so good today and some greens like on hole 18 had a lot of sand and it was very difficult to judge on speed,” top junior golfer Kanana Muthomi said after scoring four over par 72.

Namibia finished the first day third on the leader board on 27 over, while Morocco was fourth on 29 over and Tanzania was fifth on 35 over. Egypt was bottom of the leader board on 87 over after the first round.

Tournament Director James Ondigo said: “We have witnessed some beautiful golf today and expect even better golf in the final two days. The event has attracted 89 players from 14 countries and Kenya has so far given a good account of themselves, finishing the first round perched on second spot on the leader board.”

Leaderboard After Round One:

1. South Africa -8
2. Kenya +11
3. Namibia +27
4. Morocco +29
5. Tanzania +35
6. Uganda +37
7. Zimbabwe +37
8. Cote D’Ivore +37
9. Botswana +52
10. Mauritius +54
11. Tunisia +62
12. Zambia +70
13. Ghana +71
14. Egypt +87

PS Elijah Mwangi launching the 2026 All-Africa Junior Teams Championships at Windsor

By DANIELLA APIYO

The Principal Secretary for the State Department for Sports, Mr. Elijah Mwangi, today officially launched the 2026 All-Africa Junior Team Championship (AAJTC), and announced that the Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Sports, will serve as the Lead Sponsor of the tournament. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

The announcement was made during a high-profile launch held at Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club, where the Principal Secretary also unveiled the national junior golf team that will represent Kenya at the continental championship scheduled for March 23–26, 2026.

Bianca Ngechu

As the primary sponsor of the event, the Government’s investment underscores its commitment to youth talent development and the strategic positioning of sports as a key driver of national development. The championship will see over 100 elite junior golfers from 15 African countries compete in Kenya in what is expected to be one of the most competitive editions of the tournament. The countries include Kenya, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“The Government of Kenya is proud to be the anchor sponsor of the All-Africa Junior Team Championship. Our investment through the Ministry of Sports reflects our belief in the potential of our youth,” said PS Elijah Mwangi. “By hosting this continental event, we are not only promoting golf but also positioning Kenya as a premier sports tourism destination.”

PS Elijah Mwangi

During the event, the Principal Secretary also unveiled a seven-member national team comprising four boys and three girls, who will carry Kenya’s hopes in the championship against approximately 100 of Africa’s top junior golfers.

Notably, all four boys in the squad were part of Kenya’s victorious team at the Victoria Cup, which concluded in Uganda last weekend, highlighting the country’s strong junior golf pipeline and competitive readiness ahead of the continental championship.

The launch event was attended by several key tournament partners and sponsors, including NCBA Bank, Reload, AAR, Kenya Airways, Brookside, Avenue Healthcare, Kenya Pipeline Company, and Nation Media Group, whose support has been instrumental in bringing the championship to Kenya.

Vincent Mukiri, President of the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF), expressed appreciation for the strong collaboration between the public and private sectors in delivering the event.

PS Elijah Mwangi with Kenya’s Junior Golf team.

“The journey to host the AAJTC has been made possible through the collective efforts of the Ministry of Sports, The R&A, and our corporate partners. This championship provides a vital platform for identifying and nurturing Africa’s emerging golf talent while preparing them for the global stage,” he said.

The All-Africa Junior Team Championship has served as a launching pad for numerous African golfers who have gone on to compete at the Toyota World Junior Golf Championship and achieve success at collegiate and professional levels. The 2026 edition at Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club continues this legacy by providing a high-performance competitive environment for junior golfers aged 18 and under.

Championship at a glance:

• Event: 2026 All-Africa Junior Team Championship (AAJTC)
• Host Nation: Kenya
• Venue: Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club, Nairobi
• Competition Rounds: March 23rd – 26th, 2026
• Participating Nations: 15 African Countries