Naomi Wafula, one of Kenya’s only three female professional golfers, says playing in the Sunshine Ladies Tour has opened her eyes to what it takes to excel at the highest level of the game.
Wafula made history by becoming the first female Kenyan golfer to turn professional in July last year under the Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK), and soon embarked on the PGK Equator Tour as well as the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing (SDT). However, Rosa Naliaka, who is incidentally Wafula’s auntie, was the first female Kenyan golfer to turn professional in 2005, but not under PGK.
Though Wafula performed well in the Equator Tour, it is at the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing where she managed to show her mettle by making seven cuts out of eight tournaments. This consistent performance, where she was the highest-ranked female player on the Order of Merit, enabled her to secure a historic playing card for the 2026 Sunshine Ladies Tour.
However, the Sunshine Ladies Tour was a steep learning curve for Wafula as she failed to make the cut in the seven tournaments she played in.
“My experience playing in the Sunshine Ladies Tour was amazing. The level of competition there is extremely high, and it really pushes you to grind harder and become a tougher, more disciplined player,’’ Wafula said in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
“I played six events on the tour and was aiming to qualify for the seventh event by finishing in the top five in the sixth event, but I was not able to achieve that. That alone shows how competitive the fields are where every player is fighting for position, and of course, the hefty prize money adds to the intensity,’’ said the 27-year-old who once sold chips on the streets of Kitale to earn a living.
Kenya’s professional golfer, Naom Wafula, plays at the Sunshine Development Tour - East Africa Swing Johnnie Walker Classic Pro-Am at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club on October 11, 2025.
She said that though the pressure was always there, learning how to handle it was part of the journey.
“Personally, I believe I can thrive well under pressure and those events I played tested and strengthened that mindset,’’ she said.
Wafula said each tournament she played was a valuable learning experience and important preparation for achieving greater things in the near future.
She said that after her South African sojourn, she felt wiser and stronger, and with a clearer understanding of what it takes to compete consistently at that high level.
“I spent two months in South Africa playing and staying across Port Elizabeth, George, Cape Town and Johannesburg, but beyond the golf, I experienced the South African culture, met incredible people and managed to build meaningful friendships along the way’’.
Naomi Wafula in action during the Shunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing in Ruiru
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Wafula said golf at that level comes with logistical and financial challenges, from transportation and accommodation to tournament entry fees and travel between cities.
“I am very grateful to Johnnie Walker for their amazing support during my South Africa Tour and to my team who made it possible for me to compete on such a big stage with top players from around the world’’. “Golf is an expensive sport, and adequate financial support plays a big role in enabling us to compete, improve and proudly fly the Kenyan flag internationally. I am excited for what lies ahead and grateful for every lesson this experience has taught me’’ said Wafula.
Naomi Wafula follows her tee shot from 10th tee on day one of the Johnnie Walker Classic Sunshine Development Tour -- East Africa Swing at Royal Nairobi Golf Club in Nairobi on October 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
She said she decided to come back home to play in the second season of the PGK Equator Tour and the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing.
She said most of the events she played in attracted fields of 126 players drawn from all over the world.
“I don’t have a golf coach yet, but I have an amazing team behind me,’’ said Wafula.
One can go to the Sunshine Tour School, or through the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing or pay for membership, or get an invite.
Usually, there are eight tournaments in the Sunshine Ladies Tour played from February to April with two of them also being part of the Ladies European Tour.
Naomi Wafula chips from 18th hole fairway to during Round two of the Fourth leg Safari Tour at Sigona Golf Club on October 26, 2020.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Wafula was among the pros who participated in the first leg of the PGK Equator Tour held at Vet Lab Sports during the weekend, where she tied for 14th place with Uganda’s Philip Kasozi on six over par 294 gross.
