Kenya’s Njoroge Kibugu and Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera will take a share of the lead into the final round of the Absa Invitational Series after both players finished the second round tied at 8-under par at Karen Country Club.
The Absa Invitational marks the season finale of the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing, and the stage is set for a thrilling finish after the two frontrunners—paired in the same group—engaged in a gripping back-and-forth battle throughout the day.
Kibugu, the overnight leader, got off to a steady start with birdies on the 2nd and 6th holes before dropping a shot on the 9th.
He responded on the back nine with birdies at the 12th, 14th, and 18th, while conceding bogeys on the 11th and 17th.
His round of 2-under par 68 was enough to keep him atop the leaderboard at 8-under par overall.
Reflecting on his round, Kibugu said: “I started decently with a birdie on the second and felt I had some momentum, but my distance control was not as sharp as I wanted.”
“After mistakes on nine and eleven, I focused on making good swings and giving myself chances. There were a few sloppy mistakes coming in, but I will work on that. I am excited about tomorrow. Competitive golf is always exciting, and especially with Celestin, it is fitting that we are in the finale together,” he added.
Nsanzuwera, chasing a third victory of the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour season, produced a flawless front nine, rolling in birdies on the 5th, 8th, and 9th holes to apply early pressure.
He maintained the momentum after the turn with further birdies on the 10th and 12th, briefly taking sole possession of the lead.
However, a demanding stretch saw him drop shots on the 14th, 15th, and 17th holes before bouncing back with a crucial birdie on the 18th to finish the day tied for the lead.
Speaking after his round, Nsanzuwera said: “It was not a bad day overall. I missed a few putts early but managed to find my rhythm and picked up birdies on the front nine to get to ten under.”
He added, “The back nine was tougher with three bogeys, but I was happy to finish strongly on eighteen. My focus tomorrow is to stay disciplined, put the ball in the right positions, and give myself chances. It is the final round of the season, so it has to be my best.”
Isaiah Otuke sits in third place on 4-under par overall after carding a 1-under par second round, highlighted by birdies on the 2nd, 8th, 12th, 14th, and 17th, against bogeys on the 4th, 9th, 13th, and 16th.
A three-way tie for fourth place at 3-under par includes Mike Kisia and amateurs Elvis Muigua and Taimur Malik.
Muigua impressed with a 3-under par round following an opening-round level par effort.
“I’m happy with how I played today,” Muigua said.
“I started strongly and felt good momentum through the round. Tomorrow I just need to stick to my routine. Playing alongside professionals has been a great learning experience and has helped me grow my game.”
In total, 34 players made the cut, which was set at 5-over par, with the top 30 players and ties advancing to the final round.
The final round of the Absa Invitational Series will be played on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at the par-70 Karen Country Club, with the first tee time scheduled for 7:30 am.
A total prize purse of KSh 2 million is on offer, with the champion set to take home KSh 400,000.
The tournament will also crown the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing Order of Merit winner, with Sunshine Tour cards to be awarded at the conclusion of the event.