Malindi Open champion Josphat Rono will lead a strong field of amateurs when the NCBA Diani Beach Masters tees off on Friday at Diamonds Leisure Golf Club.
The three-day championship, running from September 18 to 20, has attracted 66 golfers with a verified World Handicap System (WHS) Handicap Index of 18.0 and under.
The tournament is part of the 2026 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) Series and will be played over 54 holes of stroke play.
Players will complete the opening two rounds before the field is cut for Sunday’s final round, putting a premium on consistency and composure from the opening tee shot.
The championship also offers KAGC and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, with a KSh400,000 prize purse up for grabs and the prestigious Green Jacket awaiting the winner.
Rono, of Golf Park Golf Club, arrives in Diani in impressive form after securing his maiden victory of the season at the NCBA Malindi Open (Vasco Da Gama Cup) last weekend.
He carded a seven-over-par 217 in Malindi, closing with a 67 to finish ahead of Alex Mwangi, who returned 220, while Elvis Muigua and William Odek tied for third on 222.
Rono will face another demanding test in Diani, where several recent KAGC winners are also in the field.
They include Muigua, winner of the NCBA Railway Invitation; Adel Taufiq, who won the 104th Kenya Amateur Match Play Championship and NCBA Karen Challenge Trophy; John Kamais, champion at the NCBA Kabete Open; and Eugene Wafula, winner of the NCBA Ruiru Open.
Junaid Manji, Kevin Anyien, Isaac Makokha and promising junior Maahir Patel are also expected to challenge for honours.
The tournament carries additional significance for several players because of its link to the selection of Team Kenya for the All-Africa Golf Team Championship to be held in Tunisia in October.
With Adel Taufiq Balala and Kamais already confirmed in the Kenyan team, two wildcard positions remain to be decided after the Diani event.
Manji, Patel and Wafula are among those in contention for the two remaining slots, adding another layer to what is expected to be a closely contested championship.
The women’s field will also provide plenty of interest, with eight players set to compete.
They include Kellie Gachaga of Karen Country Club, Mary Kandu of Nyali Golf & Country Club, Everline Kerubo of Mombasa Golf Club, Kanana Muthomi of Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club, Bianca Ngecu and Brianna Simone Ngecu of Muthaiga Golf Club, Mercy Nyanchama of Njoro Country Club and Janet Ouma of Nyali Golf & Country Club.
The presence of the women golfers underlines the growing depth of amateur golf in the country and gives them an opportunity to compete in a national championship environment.
Kenya Golf Union chairman Brian Akun said the Coastal double-header was providing amateurs with an important platform to compete and gain experience.
“The KAGC continues to provide a competitive platform for Kenya’s amateur golfers to test themselves against each other,” Akun said.
He added that the quality of the field at Diani was encouraging, particularly with young golfers getting an opportunity to compete alongside established amateurs.
His vice-chairman Jonathan Marucha said the event remained an important fixture on the KAGC calendar.
“The NCBA Diani Beach Masters continues to be one of the key events on the KAGC calendar, attracting some of the country’s finest amateur golfers,” Marucha said.
“With a highly competitive field and several recent tournament winners in action, fans can expect an exciting contest throughout the weekend.”
Jay Sandhu currently leads the 2026 KAGC standings with 1,535 points, followed by Kamais on 1,117.
Muigua is third on 890 points, with Balala fourth on 814, while Rono has moved into fifth place on 628 points following his Malindi victory.
The Diani championship is part of the continued partnership between NCBA and the Kenya Golf Union aimed at providing competitive opportunities for amateur golfers while taking high-level golf to different parts of the country.
Meanwhile, juniors will be in action on Sunday at Migaa Golf Club during the fifth leg of the NCBA U.S. Kids Golf Fall Local Tour – Nairobi.
The event will bring together boys and girls aged between five and 18 years in age-based categories as they seek competitive experience and development opportunities.
The programme is organised in partnership with U.S. Kids Golf and the Junior Golf Foundation Kenya, with support from NCBA.
The juniors will also compete for Priority Status points that can provide opportunities to qualify for U.S. Kids Golf international events, including the Regional Invitational and Regional Championship.