Rwandan pro Celestin
Nsanzuwera poses with his trophy following his triumph at the SunDev East
Africa Johnnie Walker Classic in Diani/HANDOUT
After producing a stunning comeback to clinch the fourth leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera be seeking to impress before a home crowd when the event resumes next month in Kigali.
The popular tour takes a break with the fifth leg scheduled for September 3-5 at the Kigali Golf Resort & Villas in Kigali, Rwanda. Nsanzuwera produced a stunning comeback to post a score of 5-under-par in the final round and clinch the fourth leg of the Tour at Leisure Golf Club in Diani, Kwale County.
The golfers are not only vying for a stake of the prize fund but also for Sunshine Development Tour points, official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, which will be on offer.
These not only boost players’ global standings but also open doors to major regional and international tournaments, including potential qualification for the Olympic Games.
Coming into the final
round in second place on the leaderboard with a total of 1-under-par 143, Nsanzuwera capitalised on Dismas Indiza’s missteps to secure the championship. He
played a flawless front nine, picking up birdies on the 2nd, 4th, 8th, and 9th
holes.
On the back nine, he
started shakily with a bogey on the 10th after his second shot ricocheted off a
tree near the green. He recovered with a birdie on the 12th but dropped shots
on the 14th and 17th holes, briefly relinquishing his lead to Indiza. However,
he held his nerve and finished with a birdie on the 18th to reclaim the lead
and seal victory.
Nsanzuwera said, “I feel
excited. This win came from nowhere, but I gave it my all and stuck to my game
plan. From holes 16 to 18, I knew Indiza was playing well, but I kept my focus.
I made a mistake on the 17th hole with my putting, but I stayed calm and capitalised on
his error at the last hole. I’ve been close since the tour started, so I’m
happy to have finally won. It’s even more special as I head to the next event in
Kigali, my home, full of confidence and hoping to win again there.”
Nsanzuwera pocketed Sh400,000
and 210 Order of World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points for his victory.
Indiza, who began the day
with a solid 5-under-par total, had a turbulent front nine with bogeys on the
3rd and 7th holes, offset by birdies on the 4th and 9th.
His trouble began on the
10th, when his tee shot veered off the fairway. In attempting to recover, he
struck the same tree that had caught Nsanzuwera earlier, resulting in a costly
double bogey. He bounced back with a birdie on the 11th but dropped another
shot on the 13th.
A late rally with birdies
on the 15th and 17th put him back ahead briefly, but a disastrous triple bogey
on the 18th, after finding the bush, then the bunker, ended his title hopes.
Indiza said, “I came into
the event with a strong lead, but Celestin pushed me hard from the start. The
10th hole cost me after my tee shot went into the bush. I fought back
and even took the lead on 17, but the last hole undid everything. I tried to
recover, but the bunker sealed my fate.”
The Kakamega Sports Club
professional, who had failed to make the cut at the Nyali event, took home Sh214,000 and
172.5 points for his efforts.
Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo
finished third after a 2-under-par final round, ending with an even-par total
of 216. His round included birdies on the 2nd, 4th, 13th, 14th, and 18th,
offset by bogeys on the 7th and a double bogey on the 9th.
Rugumayo said, “I told myself to go out there and give it my best. I stuck to my game plan, corrected mistakes from earlier rounds, and it worked. I’m happy to finish third.”
He earned KSh 144,700 and 116.7 OWGR points. Nyali leg champion Njoroge Kibugu took fourth place after carding a 2-under-par 70 in the final round for a tournament total of 2-over-par 218. His round featured birdies on the 1st, 2nd, 9th, 13th, and 16th, with bogeys on the 10th, 11th, and 12th.
The Diani event, sponsored by EABL, attracted 61 top professional and elite amateur golfers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ghana, Nigeria, and Malawi.
