Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s own John Lejirma showcased nerves of steel to clinch the Johnnie Walker Classic title after a tense playoff against Njoroge Kibugu during the sixth leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing.
Starting the final round with a four-shot cushion, Lejirma saw his lead evaporate as Kibugu mounted an impressive charge.
The two golfers ended regulation play tied at 10-under-par, forcing a sudden-death playoff at the par-4 18th.
Lejirma held his composure to make par while Kibugu bogeyed, sealing a memorable victory for the home favourite.
The Royal Nairobi golfer had a steady round, picking up birdies on holes 1, 6, and 7 before settling for a 2-under-par 70, enough to close the tournament on 10-under-par overall.
“It’s been a long journey. The first leg slipped away from me, and in another event, I lost in a playoff by just a whisker, but I didn’t give up. I went back to the drawing board, did what needed to be done, and here we are,” he said.
Being an amateur, Lejirma walked away with KSh 130,000 and 210 Order of Merit points for his stellar performance.
Kibugu, representing Windsor Golf and Country Club, fired a brilliant 6-under-par 66 in the final round to force the playoff.
His card included birdies on holes 2, 7, 10, 14, 15, and 17, marred only by a single bogey on the par-3 sixth.
He took home KSh 214,000 and 172 Order of Merit points.
“It was a really strong round. I stayed patient, trusted my swing, and gave myself good chances all through. Pushing it to a playoff felt great, and although it didn’t go my way, I’m proud of how I played and how I finished the tournament,” said Kibugu.
Uganda’s Gaita Tadeo Rodell and Kenya’s Dismas Indiza tied for third on 3-under-par 213, each pocketing KSh 123,000.
Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera and Kenya’s Erick Ooko finished joint fifth at 1-under-par 215. Nsanzuwera emerged as the best-placed non-Kenyan in the field.
The Johnnie Walker Classic, hosted by Royal Nairobi Golf Club, forms part of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, a regional circuit offering players the opportunity to earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points.
The event was supported by East African Breweries Limited (EABL) through its Johnnie Walker brand, alongside Vivo Energy Kenya, Pure Travel, and Magical Kenya.
