Uganda’s Willy Deus celebrates after winning the Absa Invitational Series at Thika Greens Golf Resort

By AMANDA DAMARIS

Uganda’s Willy Deus held his nerve to secure his maiden Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing title after holding a final day charge by Kenya’s David Wakhu to win the Absa Invitational Series at Thika Greens on Friday, January 16, 2026. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

This was his second time of asking for the 34-year-old, his first shot in the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, having been at VetLab Sports Club in November last year where he finished 13th.

Deus played rounds of 68, 68, and 72 for a total score of 5- under par 208 to finish ahead of Njoroge Kibugu and David Wakhu who were joint second on four under par 209.

He entered the final round tied at the top with Mutahi Kibugu but endured a difficult day on the course that had bogeys on holes two, six, fifteen, and eighteen and limited birdies on holes four, seven, and twelve while playing par on the rest to post a 1-over-par round and take home KSh 400,000.

Speaking after sealing his first professional victory in Kenya, Willy Deus described the win as a deeply rewarding moment:

“It feels really good to be the champion. A win is always a win, and it feels great when you finish the job, especially knowing how much work goes into putting yourself in that position. When I give myself the chance and close it out, it’s always a great feeling.”

Absa Bank Kenya Head of Brand & Marketing Peter Waweru presents a dummy cheque of Ksh 400,000.

“Today was tough. The wind was strong and the course was set up to be very challenging. I also had a bit of bad luck with a few bounces that put me in spots I shouldn’t have been in, so it wasn’t easy out there.”

He credited his mental strength in his victory: “I’ve worked a lot on my mental game this year. Last year, I don’t think I would have handled moments like this the same way. I’ve been working closely with my coaches, focusing on staying calm, taking a deep breath, and doing what I needed to do at the moment. To come to Kenya and get my first professional victory here is very special. It’s an amazing feeling and one I’ll always remember.”

On his part, Njoroge played a conservative round for par with birdies on holes six, ten, fourteen and eighteen, bogeys on the seven, fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen to finish second.

A blemish-free start in the front nine that included birdies on the first and second holes saw Wakhu take the lead as he took the turn at 2-under par, but bogeys on number twelve and sixteen, followed by a double bogey on the 18th saw him end the round on par to finish joint second alongside Njoroge as each of them won Ksh 179,350.

Reflecting on his final round, Njoroge Kibugu said he felt encouraged by improvements in his ball striking but admitted that a difficult day on the greens ultimately held him back.

“Today I hit the ball a lot better than I did for most of the tournament. My swing was a bit rusty, and a few bad habits crept in over the holidays, so I spent the first two days trying to work through that.”

“I felt much better with my ball striking today, but unfortunately my putter went cold and I finished at level par. I missed a short putt on 15, made a soft bogey, then hit it right on 16 and couldn’t get up and down. On 17, I three-putted again. The putter just wasn’t my friend today.”

“I had a couple more three-putts and missed a few putts from around six feet. It was just one of those tough days on the greens.”

Muthaiga Golf Club’s Greg Snow and Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo finished third on three under par 210, both playing equal par on Friday to take home Ksh 94,800 each.

Snow, who came into the Absa Invitational at Thika on the back of winning the Limuru leg of the tour, started off badly with bogeys on the first, third, and fourth but attempted to recover with a birdie on the sixth and eleventh before dropping another shot on the thirteenth with more birdies on the 14th and 17th.

On the other hand, Rugumayo picked bogeys on the first, ninth, and seventeeth, birdies on holes four, five, and sixteen while picking pars on the rest for a total score of three under par 210 after three rounds.

The ninth leg of the SDT–EAS attracted 75 players from across Africa and beyond, all competing for a share of the Ksh 2 million prize purse, as well as Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, and Safari Tour Order of Merit points, which are critical for qualification into the 2026 Magical Kenya Open on the DP World Tour.

The Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing now moves to the tenth and final leg of the season, the second event under the Absa Invitational Series umbrella, scheduled for next week at the Karen Country Club.

Pro Brian Njoroge makes ceremonial tee off during the NCBA Golf Series Launch at Karen Country Club

By AMANDA DAMARIS

The 2026 NCBA Golf Series officially teed off today at the Karen Country Club, marking the start of another competitive golfing campaign across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

Launched on Thursday, January 15, the 2026 NCBA Golf Series continues to build on five successful editions that have positioned NCBA as the leading corporate supporter of golf in the region.

As part of the launch, NCBA announced the renewal of its partnerships with the Kenya Golf Union (KGU) and the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) ahead of the 2026 activities, committing over KES 60 million for the 2026 activities.

Under the renewed partnership KGU will receive KES 6 million to support the 2026 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) Series which teed off today with the NCBA Sigona Bowl at the Sigona Golf Club. The Junior Golf Foundation will receive KES 12 million to support junior golf events throughout the year, focusing on nurturing young talent and expanding access to the game.

A total of 35 events including 13 main qualifiers, 14 Mugs, and 2 Club Nites will be held in Kenya this year, with Uganda hosting three, Rwanda two, and Tanzania one.

Royal Nairobi Golf Club will host the first leg on January 31, 2026, paving way for the Series to traverse the country and will culminate with the Grand Finale on November 27, 2026, at the Karen Country Club.

The 2026 NCBA-sponsored events calendar will see a total of 166 events held across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, an increase from 164 events held in 2025. Of those, 123 will be hosted in Kenya, 35 in Uganda, five in Tanzania, and three in Rwanda.

Out of the 166 events, 90 will be Junior tournaments where Kenya will host 49, Uganda 32, Tanzania four, and Rwanda one. This will be the second time Rwanda will be hosting a Junior event under the NCBA umbrella, their first one having been last year.

Speaking during the launch, NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora said; “We are excited to launch the 2026 NCBA Golf Series. Each event is targeted at club members and customers, juniors, amateurs, and professionals and offers a platform for competition, friendship, and personal growth, reinforcing the values that bind us together as a community. Our annual investment of over KES 60 million is not just a statistic; it reflects on lives touched, dreams ignited, and a legacy of excellence we are proud to nurture.”

NCBA Group Marketing & Communications Director Nelly Wainaina, and NCBA Group MD John Gachora presents NCBA’s sponsorship to Junior Golf Foundation President Vincent Mukiri for JGF 2026 events.

Furthermore, Mr. Gachora outlined the impact of junior golf, pledging the bank’s continued support for the budding golfers: “This year we will see an expanded calendar for our juniors across the region and we are happy to be on the forefront to support the Junior Golf Federation. Last year, we saw junior players triumph when they came up against amateur golfers and we would like to see the same continue this year. At NCBA, we believe that the future of golf lies in nurturing young talent.”

On his part, KGU Chairman Chris Kinuthia thanked NCBA for their continued partnership and support. “As the Kenya Golf Union, we are delighted to continue our partnership with the NCBA Group for our 2026 activities.  Last year, we had one of the most competitive Kenya Amateur Golf Championship Series. When we have such partnerships, the amateurs have something to play for because the prize money is a good motivation. This collaboration highlights our shared commitment to nurturing golfing talent and promoting the sport’s growth in Kenya and beyond. We look forward to a competitive and exciting season ahead.”

JGF President Vincent Mukiri applauded NCBA’s efforts in advancing junior golf, noting: “This partnership has revolutionized junior golf development across Kenya and East Africa. It provides young golfers with vital competitive platforms, skill-building opportunities, and pathways for growth. When the juniors see a clear pathway being created through the different levels just as NCBA is doing, they want to go up the levels and turn pros because they have something to look up to. Expanding junior tournaments to Rwanda and scaling events regionally demonstrates unwavering commitment to elevating golf throughout East Africa.”

The JGF-Kenya calendar is set to tee off with the NCBA U.S. Kids Golf Spring Nairobi Tour on Sunday February 8, 2026, at the VetLab Sports Club