East African golfers fight for chance to play in Kenya Open

Fireworks are expected when a field of 230 golfers competes in the KCB East Africa Golf Tour grand finale at the par-72 Sigona Golf Club.

Sigona Club will be a hive of activity today, as teams from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi compete in the grand finale of the tournament, which is now in its second edition. 

Winners will qualify to play in the 2025 Magical Kenya Ladies Open Golf Championship. In addition, organisers will fund sustainability initiatives chosen by the club of the winning team to the tune of Sh1 million. 

Competing countries have entered full teams of four players each, but Burundi will have a stronger presence at Sigona, having entered 11 extra players to compete as “guests of KCB’’. 

“I am proud of KCB for their tremendous work in elevating golf in Kenya, and in East Africa. The second edition of the tour has been a platform for budding golfers to hone their skills, strengthening Kenya’s reputation as a hub for golfing excellence,” Sigona Golf Club’s captain, Sammy Mwiti, said yesterday.

With national team captain Joseph Cwinyaai in its ranks, Uganda is expected to offer a stiff challenge to Kenya. Cwinyaai is a regular player in the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series and has competed Kenyan golfers on may occasions.

Early this year, he fought his way to the final of the Kenya Amateur Match Play Championship, losing to fellow Ugandan Michael Alunga at Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club. 

Consequently, Alunga qualified to play in the 2025 Magical Kenya Open, a DP World Tour event. Peace Kabasweka and Martha Babirye are also hugely experienced and are regular visitors in Kenya’s golf scene.

Usually played in Stableford format, KCB East Africa Golf Tour is a combined effort where each player’s score counts towards the total aggregate. It has an unpredictable format and low or high handicap golfers can rise to the occasion depending on form and luck.

In last year’s grand finale at Karen Country Club, Nyanza Golf Club’s Christine Riaroh, Tabitha Ojwang, Joyce Osike, and Griffins Owino carded 126 points, to beat Kakamega’s team of Ronald Omondi, Jimmie Akhonya, Derik Mwaura and Irene Ashioya by 10 points.

This year, the local series was staged in 15 different counties namely; Kisumu, Nakuru, Nairobi, Mombasa, Nyeri, Uasin Gishu, Kericho, Nandi, Kiambu, Machakos, Kisii, Kilifi, Kakamega, Laikipia, and Trans Nzoia counties.

KCB Group’s Director for Marketing and Communications, Rosalind Gichuru noted that: “Our investment in golf has largely been centred on our conviction that we have a role to play in uplifting communities where we operate.”

 “I am proud of KCB for their tremendous work in elevating golf in Kenya and the broader East African region. The second edition of the tour was crucial in giving a platform to budding enthusiasts to hone their skills and to enjoy themselves, further strengthening Kenya’s growing reputation as a hub for golfing excellence,” said Sigona Golf Club Captain, Sammy Mwiti.

Besides the qualifiers from the various clubs and countries, Sigona members, partners, members of different clubs and other invited guests will headline the event at the 18-hole course that will culminate in a sophisticated dinner, an awards ceremony, entertainment and an exclusive guest experience.

The full-day event will see Radisson Blu Hotel, Home 254, and Famous Grouse among other notable brands come on board as partners. Additionally, the bank this year partnered with Beulah City, a property firm, which has committed to giving an apartment (in the Ikhaya Beulah Genesis project) valued at Sh 2.1 million as the hole-in-one prize for every leg of the 2024 tour.

As part of environmental conservation efforts through the golf series, KCB planted over 1,000 trees across the various courses the tour traversed, underscoring the bank’s commitment to its sustainability agenda.