Visitor Mapwanya of Zimbabwe follows the flight of his shot from 10th hole fairway during the fourth leg of 2023/24 Safari Tour series at Limuru Country Club on on January 16, 2024.
Nigeria’s number one professional Sunday Olapade is considering setting up camp here in Kenya.
He is among a hosts of professional players from West Africa, and parts of southern African countries including Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia who have been regularly visiting Kenya over the years, particularly during the era of the then Kenya Open-organised Safari Tour.
Besides Olapade, other Nigerians who have been coming to Kenya regularly are Andrew Oche Odoh, and Gifit Willy.
They are all flocking to Kenya for World Golf Rankings, cash and to play in better coordinated tournaments.
“I like the idea of the World Golf Rankings because it opens the world to me as a professional golfer. In addition, events in this part of Africa are very well coordinated, leave alone the best looked after golf courses," says an impressed Olapade when Nation Sport caught up with him.
Born on February 26, 1989 in Ogu State in Nigeria, Olapade started out as a caddie in 2009 before joining a golf school in 2010 in Lagos.
Since he turned professional in January 2011, he has won 17 tournaments in Nigeria and three in Ghana.
He also won the Gabon Open in 2021, and in the Cote d’Ivoire Open in 2024.
“Imagine if all these events were World Rankings tournaments, I would be far away playing top-class golf. I commend Kenyans for welcoming us to play with local players, and given the opportunity, I will make Kenya my second home’’ says Olapade.
He says Nigeria has very good players like the current number two ranked Francis Epe and 19-year-old Godwin Okoko, Nigeria’s youngest player who, given the opportunity, will easily excel to the top in the world.
“I was here last year to play in the Magical Kenya Open and though I did not make the cut, it was a great experience for me, and that is what made me come back again this year."
He says though he is planning to participate in most of the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing, it is his wish to see such a regional.
“Not only will it create interest, but also trigger a tremendous growth of the game of golf in West Africa.’’
He says such a tour will open the way to West Africa and a rapid growth.
Sunshine Tour Commissioner Thomas Abt (left) present Rwanda's Celentin Nsanzuwera with the trophy after emerging top during the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort.
“I can assure Sunshine Tour, that not less than five or more tournaments will take place immediately, as sponsorship is not a big deal in Nigeria.”
Olapade thanked his Nigerian sponsor Tombara Okoria, a business man in Lagos who has enabled him travel in different parts including Kenya to play golf.
Olapade played in the third and fourth legs of the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing at Nyali and at the Diamonds Leisure Golf resort.
Cameroonian pros Martial Tankou, and Pristhy Nji Fon, have featured in this year’s Sunshine Development, together with Malawi’s Paul Chidale, and Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi, a twice winner of the Uganda Open, and four times winner of the Safari Tour.
Chinhoi had a successful start in the main Sunshine Tour, winning the Zanaco Masters in Zambia in 2023 which earned him a main Sunshine Tour card in South Africa, leaving Visitor Mapwanya to carry the Zimbabwean flag in the current Sunshine Development Tour.
Dayne Moore, Madalitso Muthiya and Sydney Wemba from Zambia have also been trying to get into the big tours like the main Sunshine Tour, and DP World Tour, through the Development Tour East Africa Swing in Kenya.
