Nyali Golf & Country Club professional Daniel Nduva staged a brilliant back-nine comeback to overcome a strong regional field and capture his maiden Sunshine Development Tour title at the NCBA Royal Classic, played at Royal Nairobi Golf Club.
The coastal golfer carded a final-round level-par 72 to finish the tournament on 3-under-par 213, edging out a tightly packed leaderboard to secure the title, a winner’s cheque of KES 400,000, and valuable Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points.
Nduva’s triumph was far from straightforward.
Starting the final round tied for second, he struggled on the front nine, dropping shots on the 1st and 8th holes and suffering a costly double-bogey on the 7th. As rivals from Kenya, Rwanda and Nigeria battled for the lead, the Nyali-based professional appeared to be slipping out of contention.
However, the turning point came after the turn.
Displaying resilience and composure, Nduva produced a flawless back nine, firing birdies on the 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 17th holes. His late surge proved decisive as several contenders faltered down the stretch, allowing him to pull clear and seal a memorable victory.
“It feels really good to get this win,” said Nduva after lifting the trophy.
“The front nine was challenging, and I had a few unlucky breaks, but I stayed patient and kept believing in my game. On the back nine, I hit every fairway and every green, and that gave me the confidence to attack the pins and create birdie opportunities.”
“My driving was probably the strongest part of my game today. When you’re hitting the driver well, it gives you confidence throughout the rest of your game. I managed to make five birdies on the back nine, and that ultimately made the difference.”
The victory was particularly meaningful for Nduva, who battled injuries last season and has worked hard to return to top form.
“Last year I struggled with injury, so to come back and win again means a lot to me. This victory is a reminder that golf is about staying patient, fighting through difficult moments and believing in yourself even when things are not going your way,” he added.
The battle for honours remained intense throughout the final day, with six players eventually sharing second place on 1-under-par 215.
The chasing pack featured Kenya’s John Lejirma, David Wakhu, Greg Snow and amateur Adel Balala, Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera, and Nigeria’s Sunday Olapade, who had started the day as the overnight leader.
Each of the six players earned KES 114,833 from the tournament’s KES 2 million prize purse.
Snow was encouraged by his performance despite narrowly missing out on the title.
“I’m pleased with the way I fought throughout the week. Royal Nairobi is always a demanding course and you have to stay patient because opportunities can come at any time. I gave myself chances, but a few shots here and there made the difference. Finishing tied for second is still a positive result and gives me confidence heading into the next events,” he said.
Lejirma continued his impressive transition into the professional ranks and was satisfied with another strong finish.
“It was a solid week overall. There are definitely positives I can take from my game, even though I would have loved to get over the line. The competition was very strong and it came down to small margins. As a new professional, every tournament is an opportunity to learn, improve and continue building momentum for the season,” he said.
For amateur golfer Adel Balala, competing among seasoned professionals provided valuable experience.
“It’s encouraging to be in contention against such a strong professional field. I learned a lot over the three days, especially about managing pressure when you’re near the top of the leaderboard. I’ll take the lessons from this week and continue working hard on my game,” said Balala.
Meanwhile, overnight leader Sunday Olapade admitted he was unable to maintain the momentum that had put him in pole position heading into the final round.
“It was a tough final round and unfortunately I couldn’t maintain the momentum from yesterday, but that’s golf. The competition was excellent and I enjoyed the challenge. I’ll take the positives from the week and continue working hard as the season progresses,” he said.
The NCBA Royal Classic attracted a strong field of 96 local and international professionals and amateurs from across Africa, all competing for OWGR, World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Sunshine Development Tour points.
The event marked the second tournament of the 2026/27 Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing season following the opening leg at Thika Sports Club, which was won by Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera.
Attention now shifts to VetLab Sports Club, which hosts the next leg of the tour from June 14-16, as players continue their pursuit of Sunshine Tour progression opportunities and crucial Order of Merit points in what is shaping up to be a highly competitive season.