Dismas Indiza sinks his final putt at the 18th to win the Ruiru leg of the Shunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing/HANDOUTThe third leg of the Sunshine
Development Tour – East Africa Swing tees off on Monday at Nyali Golf
& Country Club in Mombasa, with a strong field of 87 taking part in the three-day event.
The 54-hole competition has drawn players from across the continent.
Following the Nyali leg, attention
will shift to Diamonds Leisure Beach & Golf Resort, which will host the
fourth leg from August 9 – 11, completing the Sunshine Tour’s Coast Region
double-header.
In addition to Kenya’s top professionals and elite amateurs,
international entries include Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria,
Malawi, Ghana, and Zimbabwe.
The players will compete over three
rounds, with a cut made after 36 holes, leaving the top 30 players and ties to
contest the final round.
Up for grabs is a Sh2m prize
purse, alongside Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points and World Amateur
Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, which are critical for players looking to rise in
the global game.
Tanzania’s line-up includes Nuru
Mollel, Isaac Wanyeche, Abdalla Yusuf, Isaka Dunia, Fadhyl Nkya, and Rajaan Idd
Pembe. Uganda will be represented by Hussein Bagalana, Abraham Ainamani, and
Ronald Rugumayo, while Rwanda’s contingent features Celestine Nsanzuwera,
Dusabe Jules, Felix Dusabe, Aloys Nsabimana, Ndidabahizi Didas, and Hitayezu
Jean D’amour.
The field welcomes Salum
Nkurunziza of Burundi, Paul Chidale of Malawi, Olapade Sunday of Nigeria, Liberty Gumisaa from Zimbabwe and Erick Kwame from Ghana.
Leading the Kenyan charge is Indiza, who tops the Tour’s Order of Merit. The Kakamega Sports
Club pro, who secured victory in the Ruiru leg in a dramatic playoff, is
confident heading into Nyali.
“I have played at Nyali many times and it’s always a good test of ball control, especially with the wind. My game
is in good shape and the goal remains the same: being consistent and staying
focused. This tour has given us something to chase, and I’m motivated
heading to the coast," Indiza said.
Joining him are Njoroge Kibugu, winner of the Thika Greens leg, and elite amateur John Lejirma, who came within a hole of winning in Ruiru.
Lejirma, the top-ranked amateur on the Tour and
currently third on the Order of Merit, will look to bounce back after the Ruiru miss.
“Ruiru was a learning experience. I
had a strong start but didn’t close it out the way I wanted. I feel sharper mentally and physically heading to Nyali. This tour is giving us amateurs
a professional platform and world ranking opportunities, and I’m fully focused
on taking advantage of that," said Kibugu.
Nsanzuwera has been one of the standout players this
season. He finished second in Thika, making him the highest-ranked non-Kenyan in the field.
Naomi Wafula will play her first competitive round at home after turning pro recently. The Vipingo Ridge golfer is expected to lead the women’s
challenge, alongside amateurs Joyce Wanjiru and Margaret Njoki.
Wafula, a former Kenya Ladies Golf
Union Golfer of the Year and one of the country’s top talents, is excited and motivated ahead of her pro debut.
“This is a dream I’ve worked toward
for years,” said Wafula. “Turning professional was a big decision, but this
tour provides the perfect platform to test myself, compete with top players,
and grow my game. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
