Dismas Indiza follows the progress of his tee shot from 18th hole on February 16, 2022 during the Final Day of Golf Safari Tour at Muthaiga Golf Club.
Kenya’s professional golfers endured one of their toughest years in 2024, marked by poor performances in key tournaments, while the juniors and amateurs managed to salvage some pride with commendable achievements.
Veteran pro Dismas Indiza provided a rare highlight, finishing third in both the Zambia Legends Tour Championship in August and the Uganda Open at Entebbe Golf Club in September, where he was the defending champion. Beyond this, the year proved a major disappointment.
The challenges began in February during the Magical Kenya Open (MKO), part of the DP World Tour series, where no Kenyan professional made the cut.
Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo was the only East African to advance, having gained exposure from South Africa’s Sunshine Tour. However, Rugumayo struggled in the final two rounds, finishing last among the 71 players who made the cut.
The lesson for East African professionals was clear: consistent participation in high-level international tournaments is critical for success. While some Kenyans competed in events across Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and Tanzania through invitations, preparation remained inadequate.
Muthaiga’s Greg Snow brought a glimmer of hope by winning the Vodacom Tanzania Open at Kiligolf Resort in Arusha in November with a modest two-under-par total, finishing well ahead of Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera at six over.
This lack of preparation for international events became painfully evident at the Magical Kenya Open, where local pros struggled against elite competitors accustomed to playing over 40 events annually.
The absence of the Safari Tour in 2024 further exacerbated the situation. For seven years, the Safari Tour had been a breeding ground for talent, producing stars like Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi, now excelling on the Sunshine Tour.
The future looks bleak, with uncertainty surrounding sponsorship for the 2025 Magical Kenya Open and Magical Kenya Ladies Open (MKLO).
The MKO, scheduled for February 20-23 at Muthaiga Golf Club with a prize fund of Sh322 million, remains dependent on government support, which is yet to be confirmed. The MKO enjoys a global viewership of 500 million and is one of the DP World Tour’s most popular events.
Pros falter
Meanwhile, the MKLO is notably absent from the Ladies European Tour’s 2025 calendar. The tour kicks off with Morocco’s Lalla Meryem Cup in February, followed by two events in South Africa in April. This absence raises concerns about the sustainability of professional ladies’ golf in Kenya.
While pros faltered, Kenya’s juniors and amateurs performed admirably. The juniors kicked off the year with a solid showing at the All Africa Junior Golf Championship at Benoni Country Club in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The boys’ team, comprising Krish Shah, Kevin Anyien, Junaid Manji, and Andrew Wahome, improved to fourth place from fifth the previous year. The girls’ team of Bianca Ngecu, Channelle Wangari, and Audrey Gachora secured third place, narrowly missing the runners-up position won by Zimbabwe.
Individually, Bianca Ngecu excelled on the international stage, finishing 21st in the British Open for juniors aged 12-16 in Kilmarnock, Scotland.
Her performance earned her the Africa Trophy, defeating competitors from South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Zimbabwe, and other nations.
Kenya’s amateur men’s team had mixed results. They successfully defended their Africa Region IV Golf Championship title for the third consecutive year at Kigali Golf Resort and Villas in October.
The team, led by Michael Karanga and Adel Balala, dominated Uganda, finishing 34 shots ahead with impressive final rounds of 66 and 67, respectively. Karanga also clinched the individual title.
However, their absence proved costly a few weeks later at the All Africa Team Golf Championship in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Without Karanga and Balala, the team’s replacements, Josphat Rono and Krish Shah, struggled, leading Kenya to a disappointing seventh-place finish.
South Africa reclaimed the title with an impressive total of 843, while Zambia and Zimbabwe finished second and third, respectively. Kenya’s previous worst performance in the championship, which began in 2001, had always been third place.
Individually, Michael Karanga remained the standout amateur, defending his Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series. Though his nine victories this year were fewer than his 13 titles in 2023, he secured the Order of Merit title with two events to spare.
Karanga’s stellar performances saw him rise from 108th to 51st in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, making him the highest-ranked amateur in East and Central Africa and second in Africa behind South Africa’s Christiaan Mass.
Kenya Railway’s John Lejirmah also shone, winning six events in the KAGC series. As Kenya’s amateur team captain, Lejirmah played a pivotal role in the team’s successes this year.
The Kenyan ladies’ team capped off the year with a strong performance at the All Africa Ladies Challenge Trophy in Agadir, Morocco.
Led by Kenya Ladies Golf Union Chair Jane Nzibo, the team of Naomi Wafula, Mercy Nyanchama, and Bianca Ngecu finished third with a score of seven over par 439. Morocco claimed the title, with South Africa finishing as runners-up.
With 31 tournaments planned for the men’s KAGC series, 2025 holds promise for Kenya’s amateurs. However, unless sponsorship challenges are addressed, Kenyan professional golf faces an uncertain future, with the Magical Kenya Open and Ladies Open hanging in the balance.
The performances of Karanga, Ngecu, and other rising stars offer hope, but more needs to be done to support and develop golf talent in the country.
