The newly launched inaugural KCB East Africa Golf Tour will traverse six countries and 12 counties in Kenya.
The 8-month-long series will comprise an 18-leg amateur series in Kenya with Tanzania and Uganda fielding two series each. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Burundi will host one tournament each.
Entry into the East African nations will give an opportunity for regional golf enthusiasts to feature in the tournaments. The event will be open to professionals, amateurs, and juniors.
The bank has injected Sh60 million into the tourney and has over the years spent over Sh300m on golf sponsorships in a bid to grow talent and provide an opportunity for golfers to compete locally and regionally.
The Kenya legs of the tournament will be played at Vetlab Sports Club, Eldoret, Limuru, Railway, Kakamega, Nyanza, Thika, Nyeri, Nakuru, Kericho, Great Rift Valley Lodge, Kitale, Machakos, Sigona, Nyali, Nandi Bears and Karen Country Club.
The winning golfers from each club will converge at the Karenfor the Grand Finale in November 2023, where 200 golfers from 40 teams across East Africa will compete in the Pro-Am event.
Speaking during the launch, KCB Group Human Resources Director, Japheth Achola said: “We have a rich history and connection with the game of golf over the years and we have been instrumental in creating opportunities for hundreds of golfers, enabling them to hone their skills and eke a living out of it.”
“We believe that golf has evolved tremendously, and it is now time for the sport to thrive beyond our borders. We look forward to providing junior golfers, women, and amateurs with an opportunity to showcase their skills and be part of the history makers,” he added.
The amateur tournaments will be played on Saturdays while handicapped Junior golfers will be played concurrently with the amateurs throughout the tour.
The junior clinics will be on Sundays while the women's clinics powered by Female Led and Made Enterprises (FLME) will be hosted on Fridays.
“With the KCB East Africa Golf Tour, we are looking at creating memorable connections as well as sharpening our skills with a long-term goal of demystifying the game of golf.
"We want to ensure that even as we enjoy ourselves at the different amazing courses, we also take care of our environment which has become an important conversation across the world. The series is therefore a convenient platform to support this agenda,” Japheth added.
The Cabinet Secretary for Youth, Affairs, Sports, and the Arts Ababu Namwamba who officiated the event commended KCB Bank for its 30 years of support to the sports sector in Kenya, noting that it has gone a long way in building careers and positioning Kenya as a regional and global sports powerhouse.
