Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Adel Balala has become the sixth and final Kenyan amateur golfer to qualify for the Magical Kenya Open. The DP World Tour event is set for the Karen Country Club from February 19 to 22.
Balala, 27, qualified for the tournament after finishing as the best-placed Kenyan in the Africa Amateur Championship, which ended on Saturday at the Royal Johannesburg Golf Club in South Africa.
Balala, who was among eight Kenyan players who competed in the championship, fired rounds of 73, 73, 73 and 74 for a total of five over par 293 to finish 21st overall in the championship.
Balala, who failed to qualify for the Kenya Open tournament last year after finishing 10th in the 2025 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series where he played only seven tournaments, now joins 2025 Golfer of The Year (GOTY) champion John Lejirmah of Royal Nairobi Golf Club, Kenya Amateur Match Play Champion Michael Karanga of Windsor, and Muthaiga’s Jay Sandhu in the team. Sandhu won the 2025 Kenya Amateur Stroke Play Championship.
Adel Balala follows his chip from 18th hole fairway during Kabete Open Amateur Competition on July 21, 2024 at Vet Lab Sports Club.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Two more members of the team - Junaid Manji from Sigona Club and Shashwat Harish from Muthaiga Club - are stand-out juniors selected by Junior Golf Foundation from the 2025 season.
Before the Kenyan team’s departure to South Africa, Kenya Golf Union (KGU) had released a list of five amateurs (three seniors and two juniors) to compete in the 2026 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship.
Since KGU was allocated six amateur slots in the Kenya Open, the union announced that the sixth slot will go to the best placed Kenyan player in the Africa Amateur Golf Championship, staged at the historic Royal Johannesburg Golf Club’s East Course. South Africa’s Jack Buchanan fired an amazing 21-under-par to win the title.
Three other South African players - L de Bruin, Charl Barnard and Ivan Verster - tied in second place on 15-under-par. The other Kenyan players at the South African championship were John Lejirmah, who finished 23rd on seven-over-par (295), and Michael Karanga, who finished 28th with 13-over-par for 301 points .
John Lejirmah in action during the first round of the second leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing at the par-72 Ruiru Sports Club on June 9, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Looking ahead, Kenyan captain Lejirmah said the Africa Amateur Championship provided Kenyan golfers with a critical competitive platform to measure themselves against the best from the continent ahead of the Kenya Open.
Njoroge Kibugu lines up his putt at the 18th hole green during Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing on January 19, 2026 at Karen Country Club.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
The six Kenyan amateurs head to the Magical Kenya Open with the goal of replicating the performance of Njoroge Kibugu. Kibugu made the second round cut in the 2022 Magical Kenya Open championship. He has since graduated to the professional.
