The upcoming Sunshine Development Tour – East African Wing has received a big boost after gaming firm Betika injected Sh5 million into the upcoming two back-to-back tournaments scheduled for November.
The two events, dubbed the Betika Masters, will take place consecutively over the course of two weeks. The first event is planned for November 2-4 at the Vet Lab Sports Club course. The second event will be held at Limuru Country Club from November 9-11.
Both tournaments are expected to attract at least 100 golfers from across the continent and will be played over 54 holes, with a cut set for the top 30 players after round two. Players will compete not only for a share of the Sh2 million prize money at each event but also for crucial global ranking points. The Sunshine Development Tour counts toward progression into larger global tournaments.
Betika Head of Brand Eric Mwiti, who spoke when he presented the sponsorship, said: "We are proud to support the Sunshine Development Tour as part of our commitment to promoting the growth of sports. Our focus in golf has previously been on players. We are currently sponsoring several players, including John Lejirmah and Michael Karanga."
"Based on their progress in the competition and its impact on their world rankings, we have decided to support the pathway itself, so other players, regardless of their backgrounds, can have the same opportunity. We believe in unlocking potential at all levels and creating a legacy of opportunity and excellence."
The support that Lejirmah and Karanga are currently enjoying began during the 2024 Magical Kenya Open.
The Sunshine Development Tour—East Africa Swing is a structured platform that allows professionals and elite amateurs to earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points. These points also count toward the Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit, which can lead to opportunities to qualify for higher-tier tours, such as the Sunshine Tour in South Africa.
Peter Gacheru, the CEO of IMG Kenya, said they were happy to have Betika on board for the Vet Lab and Limuru editions of the SDT-EAS.
"They have been in the golf space, sponsoring individual golfers to make the game accessible to all. By extending their support to this tournament, they are impacting more golfers and providing a platform for them to earn world ranking points without having to go out of the country to compete in tournaments,” Gacheru said.
Earlier in October, Lejirmah, Kenya’s top amateur golfer, delivered a steady performance under pressure to win the sixth leg of the tour. This victory came after a dramatic sudden-death playoff at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club.
Lejirmah began the final round with a four-shot lead over his closest challenger, Njoroge Kibugu. However, Kibugu mounted a spirited comeback and wiped out Lejirmah's advantage. Despite dropping a shot on the par-four 11th hole, Lejirmah kept his composure to force a sudden-death playoff after both players finished regulation play at 10 under par.
On the playoff hole — the par-four 18th — Lejirmah kept his composure to card a par, while Kibugu faltered with a bogey. This handed the home favourite a hard-fought and emotional victory.
