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.

NCBA Kabete Open 2026 Champion John Kamaisi with his trophy.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Nakuru Golf Club’s John Kamaisi claimed the 2026 NCBA Kabete Open title on Sunday after producing a composed final-round performance to seal his second victory of the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) season at VetLab Sports Club. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

Kamaisi carded a one-over-par 73 in the final round to finish on a three-over-par total of 219, following earlier rounds of 74 and 72. His consistent display saw him remain in contention from the opening round and fend off a strong field of 130 golfers from across East Africa.

The victory follows his triumph at the NCBA Kiambu Open earlier this season and sees him rise to the top of the KAGC Order of Merit standings with 736 points after 13 events, overtaking Muthaiga Golf Club’s Jay Sandhu, who now moves to second on 630 points.

For his victory, Kamaisi received KES 115,600 from the tournament’s KES 500,000 prize purse.

Speaking after lifting the trophy, Kamaisi said: “I’m delighted to win the NCBA Kabete Open. It’s one of the toughest tournaments on the KAGC calendar, so to come out on top against such a strong field is very satisfying. I stayed patient throughout the three rounds, trusted my game, and I’m happy it paid off. Going top of the Order of Merit gives me confidence heading into the next stretch of the season, but there’s still a lot of golf to be played.”

NCBA Kabete Open 2026 Champion John Kamaisi in action during the final round of the NCBA Kabete Open at VetLab Sports Club

VetLab Sports Club’s Ebill Omollo finished second after closing with a one-over-par 73 for a tournament total of six-over-par 222. The NCBA Coronation & Bendor Trophy champion, who was among the title contenders throughout the week, earned KES 69,400 for his runner-up finish.

Reflecting on his performance, Omollo said: “It was a competitive tournament and I’m pleased with how I fought throughout the weekend. Of course, everyone comes here aiming to win, but finishing second keeps me in a good position as we head into the next events. I’ll take the positives from this week, keep working on my game, and look forward to the challenges ahead.”

Third place was shared by Jay Sandhu of Muthaiga Golf Club and VetLab’s Kushagra Sharma, who both finished on eight-over-par 224. Sandhu posted rounds of 81, 71 and 72, while Sharma returned rounds of 74, 78 and 72. Each received KES 40,000.

Speaking after the championship, Kenya Golf Union Vice-Chairman Jonathan Marucha praised the quality of competition witnessed throughout the tournament and the continued growth of the KAGC circuit.

“The NCBA Kabete Open once again demonstrated the high standard of amateur golf we continue to witness on the KAGC circuit. The quality of competition has been exceptional, and it’s encouraging to see both established players and emerging talent consistently raising the level of the game.”

Muthaiga Golf CLub elite amateur Jay Sandhu tees off during the final round of the NCBA Kabete Open at VetLab Sports Club.

“As we head into the Coast Open and the Kenya Swing, we expect the competition to become even more intense as players battle for valuable Order of Merit and World Amateur Golf Ranking points. We thank NCBA for its continued support, which has been instrumental in strengthening the amateur game and providing golfers with quality competitive opportunities throughout the season.”

Following the Kabete Open, the KAGC circuit now heads to Nyali Golf & Country Club for the NCBA Coast Open next weekend from July 3 to 5.

Attention will then shift to the highly anticipated Kenya Swing, beginning with the Limuru Open & Brackenhurst Trophy at Limuru Country Club from July 17 to 19, followed by the Kenya Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Royal Nairobi Golf Club from July 23 to 26, before concluding with the Kenya Amateur Match Play Championship from July 30 to August 2.

The Swing tournaments are expected to play a decisive role in the race for the KAGC title, with valuable World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Order of Merit points on offer as players battle for supremacy in the second half of the season.