The Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship, also known as the Kenyatta Memorial Bowl, teed off Thursday at the renowned Vet Lab Sports Club.
The four-day tournament marks the final leg of the Kenyan Swing, which has also featured the Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship and the Kabete Open.
Held in memory of Kenya’s founding President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, the Kenyatta Memorial Bowl was first introduced in the 1978/79 season.
The trophy was presented by the Kenya Golf Union’s (KGU) first African Chairman Chris Kahara, alongside Col. M.J. Harbage, then Chairperson of KGU.
This year’s edition has drawn a highly competitive field of 152 elite amateur golfers from across the region and beyond, including Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Austria, and Mauritius.
With the lowest handicap at -4.3, the championship boasts a lineup of top-tier amateur talent from across the continent.
The stakes are high, as the winner will become the second amateur to qualify for the 2026 Magical Kenya Open, joining Michael Karanga of Ndumberi Golf Club, who earned his place after winning the 2025 Matchplay Championship last week.
The winner will also be awarded 130,000 Kenya Shillings.
The event will also contribute vital points towards both the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) standings.
As one of only two events fully owned by the Kenya Golf Union—the other being the Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship—the Strokeplay Championship has been a cornerstone of amateur golf in Kenya since 1977.