The
second leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing heads to Ruiru
Sports Club on Monday, with 105 golfers from six nationalities in action.
The
strong field is drawn from Kenya,
Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and South Africa.
The three-day event follows a successful opener at Thika Greens Golf Resort last week.
The
tournament features a mixed field of men and women in the hunt for
Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, a pathway to global golf
opportunities.
Leading
the star-studded field is Njoroge Kibugu of Windsor Golf Hotel & Country
Club, who arrives at Ruiru riding high after an impressive victory at Thika.
Kibugu
carded rounds of 64, 70, and 67 to finish on 15-under par and take home the
Sh400,000 winner’s cheque.
Kibugu
said: “Last week’s win was a big confidence boost. It showed me that the work
we’ve put in is paying off, but it’s a long season, and I know I have to stay
sharp. Ruiru is a different course, and so I’ll need to adjust and keep trusting
the process. I look forward to keeping the momentum going.”
Among
those seeking to stop Kibugu’s winning streak is Kigali Golf Club’s Celestin
Nsanzuwera, runner-up at Thika Greens with an equally impressive
10-under par total. Nsanzuwera, who won the East Africa Swing Q-School
event, has been steadily building form and is expected to mount another strong
challenge.
“I feel
my game is improving with every round. I pushed hard at Thika and came close.
Ruiru presents a new opportunity. I’ll be aiming to play smart, stay aggressive
where possible, and generally play to my strengths. The tour has been a great
platform for us, and I’m excited to see how far we can go,” Nsanzuwera said.
Kenya’s top-ranked amateur, Michael Karanga, from
Ndumberi Golf Club, who impressed with a top 10 finish at Thika, is also in the
mix.
He tees
off in a marquee group alongside Nsanzuwera and Kakamega Golf Club’s Dismas
Indiza.
“Playing
against top pros last week was a great learning experience. I’m happy with how
I played, and I believe I can compete again this week. Ruiru is familiar
territory, so I’ll look to take advantage and keep improving my game,” said
Karanga.
Other top
Kenyan names to look out for include the likes of John Wangai, who also
impressed at Thika, carding a total of 8-under par, 208 to claim the third spot
on the leaderboard, Mutahi Kibugu, David Wakhu, Simon Ngige, Jacob
Okello, Nelson Simwa, Edwin Mudanyi, and Dismas Indiza, alongside a host of top
amateurs including John Lejirma, Daniel Kiragu, and Vipingo’s Naom Wafula.
Naomi Wafula will be joined by a strong field of six other lady golfers, adding to
the competitive depth of the tournament. They include Mercy Nyanchama, Margaret
Njoki, Jacquelyne Walter, Joyce Wanjiru, Bianca Ngecu, and Kellie Gachaga—each
bringing strong credentials to the field.
The Ruiru
leg will also feature a strong regional presence. Apart from Nsanzuwera, the
draw includes Didas Ndindabahizi, Alain Niyonkuru, and Aloys Nsabimana from
Kigali Golf Club; Ronald Rugumayo, Ronald Otile, Kasozi Phillip, and Hussein
Bagalana of Uganda Golf Club; Elisante Lembris from Arusha Gymkhana and Isaac
Wanyeche from Kilimanjaro Golf Club in Tanzania; Dunia Isiaka, Fadhyl Nkya,
Molle Nuru, Frank Mwinuka, and Abdallah Yusuf of Lugalo Golf Club; Abraham
Ainamani of Palm Valley Country Club in Uganda; Salum Nkurunziza of Bujumbura
Golf Club in Burundi; and Evence Vukeya of South Africa’s Soweto Country Club.
The
Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, launched earlier this year,
provides a high-level competitive platform for professionals and elite amateurs
in the region, offering Sunshine Tour points, Big Easy Tour exemptions, and
Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.
Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing Tournament
Director, David Kihara, said: “We were
thrilled with the level of competition at Thika Greens. Ruiru Sports Club
presents a different test from Thika Greens, and we are excited to see how the
players respond. The depth of talent on display last week is a testament to the
growing competitiveness of golf in the region, and we expect another thrilling
54 holes of action.”
“This
tour is about giving East African golfers a legitimate platform to grow and
compete at global standards. We’ve seen how players are responding. There’s
hunger, there’s belief, and we’re proud to be part of that journey,” he added.
The
tournament will be played over 54 holes, with a cut made after round two,
allowing only the top 30 players to proceed to the final round. At stake is a
Sh2 million prize purse to be shared among those who make the cut.
Round one action tees off on Monday, June 9th, at 8 am with the first group featuring Felix Dusabe (Kigali Golf Club), Ronald Otile (Uganda Golf Club), and Richard Ainley (Nakuru Golf Club).
