Kenyan pros among 90 players expected at Thika Greens Sunshine Tour

Kenyan pros Greg Snow, Dismas Indiza, Jacob Okello, Rizwan Charania and David Wakhu are among 90 golfers expected at the first leg of the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing on June 3-5 at the Thika Greens Golf Resort.

Uganda's Ronald Rugumayo, Tanzania's Nuru Mollel and Isaac Wanyeche lead the regional charge, whereas South Africa’s Travis Ladner, Reece McKain and Jonathan Ackerman take up the invitational slots.

Naivasha Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing-Qualifying School(Q-School) tour winner Celestine Nsanzuwera and Windsor Golf Club's Njoroge Kibugu, the best-placed Kenyan at the final Q-School event in South Africa, are expected too.

Vipingo Golf Resort's Naomi Wafula, three-time Kenya Ladies Open winner Joyce Wanjiru, and the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) top three amateurs John Lejirma, Michael Karanga and Elvis Muigua will also grace the tour.

“We are excited to see such great interest from the players around the continent. The entries are encouraging. We look forward to three great days of golf at the Thika Greens Golf Resort, as we tee off the East Africa Swing,”  said tour promoter Charles Gacheru. 

They will play through 54 holes, with a cut after 36 holes to determine who proceeds to the final round.

The winner is set to take home Sh400,000 off the tour's Sh2m prize purse.

Players will gain Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points in addition to Sunshine Development Tour points.

The second leg of the tour will be at the Ruiru Sports Club from June 9-11.

The tour was founded in South Africa in 1971 as South Africa Tour and was rebranded in 2000.

This series is designed to provide a pathway for professional golfers and elite amateurs to compete in regular, high-calibre tournaments aligned with Sunshine Tour standards like South Africa's Big Easy Tour.