Kenyan professional golfer Njoroge Kibugu capped off a dominant performance with a flawless final round of 5-under-par 67 to clinch the title at the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing event held at Thika Greens Golf Resort.
Kibugu posted a three-day total of 15-under-par 201 (64, 70, 67), finishing five shots ahead of the competition and earning the winner’s cheque of KES 400,000.
The 21-year-old from Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club delivered a composed final round, opening with a steady front nine that included a birdie at the par-5 4th.
He then surged on the back nine with birdies at the 10th, 14th, 16th, and 17th holes.
“It feels great to kick off the season with a win,” said Kibugu after the victory.
“It was definitely tough going into the back nine as Celestin was right on my heels, but I managed to stay strong and pull through.”
He added, “There were definitely a few nerves, especially when the putts weren’t dropping early on. I just kept reminding myself to stay patient. Eventually, they started falling, especially in the last five holes, and that really helped seal the round.”
Reflecting on the win, he said: “Winning always feels amazing. It doesn’t come often in golf. Having my friends and fellow pros there to watch made it even more special. It’s a great start to the year.”
Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera, the Qualifying School winner in March, mounted a spirited challenge throughout the week.
He returned a final round of 4-under-par 68 to finish second at 10-under-par 206 (73, 65, 68), earning KES 214,000.
The Kigali Golf Club professional began his final round in blistering form, carding birdies at the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th holes, with a lone bogey at the par-4 3rd.
He added another birdie at the 14th and played par for the remaining holes on the back nine.
“I gave it my best throughout the week,” said Celestin.
“Today, I came out strong on the front nine and managed to close the gap. I was only two shots behind at the turn and really tried to keep the momentum going on the back nine.”
He added: “I’m happy with my performance. My game is improving here in Kenya. The goal now is to keep working hard and break into the top 40 on the Sunshine Development Tour.”
Sigona Golf Club’s John Wangai, President of the Professional Golfers of Kenya, finished third after a strong final round of 4-under-par 68, taking his tournament total to 8-under-par 208 (73, 67, 68).
His round featured a mixed front nine, with birdies at the 4th and 6th offset by bogeys at the 3rd, 7th, and 9th.
However, he caught fire on the back nine, carding four consecutive birdies from the 10th to the 13th, dropped a shot at the 15th, and closed with back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th.
“It’s been a solid week,” said Wangai, who took home KES 144,700.
“I made a few swing changes at the end of last year, and I’m starting to see the results. My iron play was strong throughout. Although I struggled a bit with putting early in the week, I managed to turn that around today. Being the final round, I knew there was no room for error, so I pushed myself and was pleased with the finish.”
Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s John Lejirma emerged as the best-performing amateur, carding a final-round 3-under-par 69 for a total of 5-under-par 211 (71, 71, 69).
Veteran professional Dismas Indiza from Kakamega Golf Club also impressed, closing with a 3-under-par 69 to finish at 4-under-par 212 (70, 73, 69), securing a top-five finish.
A three-way tie for sixth at 3-under-par 213 featured Daniel Nduva (Nyali Golf Club), David Wakhu (Golf Park), and Edwin Mudanyi (Karen Country Club).
Other players who finished the tournament under par included Golf Park’s Jacob Okello (2-under), leading amateur Michael Karanga from Ndumberi Golf Club (1-under), and Erick Obura (Golf Park, 1-under).
Speaking after the tournament, Kenya Open Golf Limited Director Patrick Obath said, “I want to laud the organizers for putting this together. We’ve been lacking such a tour for a while. Discussions are already underway on how we can make this tour a qualifier for the Kenya Open.”
The Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing now heads to Ruiru Sports Club for its second leg, scheduled from June 9 to 11, 2025. Regional professionals and elite amateurs will continue their quest for Sunshine Tour points, Big Easy Tour opportunities, and Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) recognition.