Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera outplayed a competitive field of 50 players to claim victory in the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing Qualifying School at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha on Thursday.
The 24-year-old, who previously won the Rwanda Open at Kigali Golf Club in February, posted a two-under-par 69 in the final round, finishing with a four-round total of four-under-par 280. He outclassed Kenya’s leading amateur, John Lejirmah, by four shots.
“I am most delighted to win this event and get a chance to travel to South Africa,” said an elated Nsanzuwera. “I have been practicing to stay in shape since winning the Rwanda Open.
This is definitely a great opportunity for me to go places, and I will try and play well in the Sunshine Development Tour’s final round of the Tour School in South Africa.”
Nsanzuwera, who expressed gratitude to the Rwanda Golf Union for supporting him and his compatriots, believes that playing in Kenya has significantly improved their game.
“Competing here has helped our golf improve a lot, and we are grateful to the organizers for giving us this chance. It has contributed to our performance,” he added.
He is set to return home on Friday before flying to South Africa on Sunday for a practice round at the Heron Banks Golf Estate in Gauteng. His triumph comes with a cash prize of Sh180,220, which he attributed to his rigorous preparation.
“The course was tough compared to Kigali, but I managed to avoid too many dropped shots,” he said.
Kenya’s John Lejirmah was poised for victory, having led the field heading into the final round. However, a difficult day on the greens saw him card a six-over-par 77, bringing his total to level-par 284 and securing a runner-up finish.
“It was a bit of a shaky round—my putting really let me down, and I lost some crucial points,” said Lejirmah. “But participating in this event was important, and it’s a great achievement that I believe will open many doors. I’m looking forward to playing in South Africa.”
Despite the disappointment, Lejirmah remains optimistic about the opportunity. “I probably would have won if the event was played on a different course. The greens were particularly challenging. But I’m happy to be the only amateur in the top 10,” he added.
For his efforts, Lejirmah took home Sh108,000 and will lead the Kenyan qualifiers to South Africa.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Samuel Njoroge (Railway), veteran pro Dismas Indiza, and Greg Snow (Muthaiga) all tied for third place at four-over-par 288.
With only 10 spots available for the Sunshine Development Tour’s final stage in South Africa, a dramatic sudden-death playoff was needed to decide the last two qualifiers.
Home player Jastus Madoya, Mike Kisia (Railway), and Isaiah Otuke (Vet Lab Sports Club) faced off on the 18th hole.
Kisia secured his spot with the best tee and approach shot, sinking a par. Madoya followed with a bogey after struggling in the bunker, while Otuke, who took a penalty after hitting into the right bush, finished last among the three—narrowly missing the South Africa trip.
During the prize-giving ceremony, Sunshine Tour Commissioner Thomas Abt emphasised the significance of the new development in Kenya’s golf scene.
“The main reason for this new development is to ensure players from this region have a pathway into professional golf. Kenya has a strong professional golf footprint, hosting the Magical Kenya Open on the DP World Tour, but below that, the feeder platform is weak,” said Abt.
He added: “There’s a great opportunity to give young professionals a competitive platform and help them develop for the main tours. It’s an exciting time for professional golf in Kenya.”
IMG Kenya Managing Director Charles Gacheru reaffirmed that the tour would soon announce more events, ensuring consistent competitive play for regional golfers.
“The qualifier was crucial for players to earn official world ranking points. Whether a player made the cut or not, they are now members of the tour and will earn Sunshine Development Tour and world ranking points at every East Africa Swing event,” Gacheru said.
“Players who didn’t participate in the qualifier can still play in tour events, but priority will be given to members. If the field is 80 players, our members will get priority.”
With the stage set for South Africa, Nsanzuwera, Lejirmah, and the rest of the qualifiers will now shift their focus to the next big challenge—competing against top South African qualifiers for a chance to elevate their professional careers.
Celestin Nsanzuwera (Rw) 74, 70, 67, 69= 280
John Lejirmah (a) 68, 72, 67,77= 284
Samuel Njoroge 73, 73, 72, 70= 288
Dismas Indiza 75, 71, 69, 73= 288
Greg Snow 69, 72, 74, 73= 288
Edwin Mudanyi 71, 72, 73, 73= 289
Njoroge Kibugu 69, 72, 74, 73= 293.
