To compete favourably against world’s best, local golfers need two things: consistent sponsorship and more championships to help them hone their skills.
John Wangai, chairman of the Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK), said that more local events are needed to prepare Kenyan professionals for international tournaments. He made this statement after the 2026 Magical Kenya Open golf championship.
While local events are important, star player Njoroge Kibugu said that if Kenyan golfers are to match those from developed countries, corporates should also identify and sponsor players.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya (centre) shakes hand with John Wangai, the chairman of the Professional Golfers of Kenya, during the unveiling of the 2026 Magical Kenya Open Pros at Karen Country Club in Nairobi on February 16, 2026. On the left is Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
Kibugu, who spoke after his impressive performance in the final round of the Kenya Open, said that participating in both the PGK Equator Tour and the Sunshine Development Tour helped him prepare for the event.
However, he added that his sponsorship by NCBA meant that he could approach the event without any worries.
“Having a sponsor who looks after your welfare cuts your worries and enables you to focus on the game. Then good results can to be expected,” said Kibugu, whose focus now turns to the Sunshine Tour in South Africa in April.
Wangai said that more local tournaments would keep local professionals busy as they prepared for international engagements.
He said that, while the eight events featured in the PGK Equator and Sunshine Development Tours were helpful to local professionals, there is still a need for more tournaments.
These will prepare players for international assignments while also helping them to reduce expenses.
“There was an improvement in the 2026 Magical Kenya Open, which is a sign of good things to come. With continued playing opportunities, our golfers will perform even better during next year,” said Wangai.
“The improvements may not be as significant. However, what’s clear is that local professionals are headed in the right direction. To have more players making it to the weekend, we need to expose our golfers to international tours such as the Sunshine Tour, the Challenge Tour, and the Asian Tour. This will give them the confidence and experience needed to handle the nerves and pressure of DP World Tour events,” he added.
Jarvis Casey from South Africa displays the Magical Kenya Open winner's trophy at the Karen Country Club on February 22, 2026.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
Wangai said the two local tours are good because they give golfers playing time, through which they gain experience. However, he added that they need to be combined with international exposure for greater improvement.
“Eight events are definitely not enough. At least 20 events would be better. Even then, I believe we are on the right path,” said Wangai, adding, “It’s just the first season of the tour, but hopefully we will increase the number of events to over 10 in season two.”
This year, Kibugu fought his way to the last two rounds with an impressive score of six under par. Kenya’s leading amateur, John Lejirmah, and Karen’s professional, Edwin Mudanyi, as well as Celestin Nsanzuwera from Rwanda, who all played in the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa swing, missed the cut by just two shots, having both scored two under par.
Jastas Madoya trailed behind them with a level par score. This was in contrast to the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Kenya Open, where no Kenyan made the cut.
Kibugu, the only Kenyan in the money bracket, finished tied for 61st place as the Absa-sponsored event concluded at Karen Country Club in Nairobi.
South African Casey Jarvis emerged as the overall winner after a commanding performance across the four days. He fired an eight-under-par 62 in the final round to finish at 25 under par overall, clinching the DP World Tour title by three strokes.
