Home favourite William Odek brought the 2025 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) season to a dramatic close after edging out series champion John Lejirma in a tense sudden-death playoff to win the NCBA Nyali Open at Nyali Golf & Country Club.
During the three-day tournament played between December 12 – 14, Odeck and Lejirma finished tied on four-over-par 217 after three rounds.
This forced a three-hole aggregate playoff that eventually spilled into sudden death.
After matching each other shot for shot on the 18th hole twice, the contest was finally decided on the third extra trip down the closing hole.
The decisive moment came when Lejirma, abandoning his earlier conservative approach, went straight for the flag but pulled his tee shot left into trouble behind the bunker.
Odek stayed composed, found the heart of the green and calmly made par, while Lejirma dropped a bogey to surrender the title and end his reign as defending champion at Nyali.
Odek’s final round was a tale of resilience.
He opened with a birdie at the par-four second but endured a difficult stretch with dropped shots at the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th holes.
Momentum swung in his favour with a crucial eagle that reignited his challenge and kept him in contention until Lejirma drew level on the 17th, setting the stage for the playoff drama.
“I started out well with a par, followed by a birdie, but a series of bogeys followed,” Odek said.
“After getting an eagle, I knew I had to hold steady and maintain it that way, which is what I did. The play-off against Lejirma was intense, but I am happy to have come out on top.”
Lejirma, the 2025 KAGC Series champion, had earlier survived a shaky start that included a triple bogey on the fourth hole.
He mounted an impressive comeback with birdies at the 9th, 11th, 13th and 17th to force the playoff.
“It has been a good, long year full of lessons, not just for me but for everyone who walked the journey with me,” Lejirma said. “
I am looking forward to playing the Magical Kenya Open next. I will keep it simple and trust my swing.”
NCBA Group Director for Marketing, Communications and Citizenship, Nelly Wainaina, praised the quality of golf on display and reaffirmed the bank’s continued support for the series.
“Today we were treated to a spectacular round of golf by Odek, Lejirma and Kamais,” Wainaina said.
“The play-off was even more intense, and that is why we support this series. This is our third year backing the KAGC Series, and we will continue to do so to ensure amateurs not only have a platform to play but also an opportunity to earn a living from the game.”
Nakuru’s John Kamais, who had fired a course-record seven-under-par 64 on Saturday to take the lead, struggled in the final round.
A double bogey on the fourth followed by five more bogeys saw him slip to third overall.
Njoro Country Club’s Mercy Nyanchama posted consistent rounds of 73, 75 and 73 for a total of eight-over-par 221 to finish fourth, while Felix Dusabe and Michael Karanga tied for fifth, one stroke further back.
Looking ahead, the 2026 KAGC calendar will feature 33 events, bolstered by the addition of the Ulinzi Open at the Kenya Air Force Golf Club in March and the Machakos Open scheduled for April.
