Six African nations set to battle in the inaugural KCB Bank East Africa Golf Tour

KCB Bank has launched an exciting regional golf tour that will traverse six African nations including 12 Kenyan counties.

The inaugural KCB Bank East Africa Golf Tour will be held in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will each host two legs of the series while the rest of the countries will stage a tournaments each.

The competition is set to tee-off at the part 72 Vet Lab Sports Club in Kabete this Saturday. The 18 legged series is open to both amateurs, pros, women and juniors.

Amateur and junior tournaments will be staged on Saturdays, the junior clinics will be held on Sundays while the women clinics, powered by Female Led and Made Enterprises (FLME), will be hosted on Fridays.

The series will run for eight months with the Grand Finale set for November 23 at the Karen Golf and Country Club in Nairobi where the ultimate winners will walk home with thrilling prizes.

The Grand Finale will be contested by winning golfers from each club that hosted the event. At the same time, 200 golfers from the 40 teams across East Africa will compete in the Pro-Am which will act as a curtain raiser for the Grand Finale.

During the series, the financial institution will strive to plant 1.5 Million trees to support sustainable actions on climate change.

The Bank has injected KSh 60 million into the tourney and has over the years spent over KSh 300 million on golf sponsorships in a bid to grow talent and provide an opportunity for golfers to compete locally and regionally.

"This tournament aims to identify and nurture potential talents in East Africa. It will give the golfers a memorable experience, it will also put Kenya in the regional and global map as a potential tourist destination," KCB Group Human Resources Director, Japheth Achola told Standard Sports.

"We are out to demystify the myth that golf only belongs to the rich, this is the reason we have incorporated women and children in the series.

"We have a rich history and connection with the game of golf over the years and we have been instrumental in creating opportunities for hundreds of golfers, enabling them to hone their skills and eke a living out of it."

"We believe that golf has evolved tremendously, and it is now time for the sport to thrive beyond our borders. We look forward to providing junior golfers, women, and amateurs with an opportunity to showcase their skills and be part of the history makers," Achola added.

The Cabinet Secretary for Youth, Affairs, Sports, and the Arts Ababu Namwamba who graced the launch in Nairobi commended the Bank for its 30 year support to the sport sector in Kenya noting that it has gone a long way in building careers and positioning the country as a regional and global sports powerhouse.

"The government recognizes the support that corporates continue to offer to the country's sporting disciplines. For KCB Bank, we are proud to be associated with you because through your involvement, we have been able to position sports as a bridge across social and economic gaps, giving the participants an opportunity to improve their quality of life as well as grow the sports infrastructure across the country," Namwamba said.

Kenyan clubs to host the legs of the KCB Bank East Africa Golf Tour

Vetlab Sports Club, Eldoret Golf Club, Limuru Golf Club, Railway Golf Club, Kakamega Golf Club, Nyanza Golf Club, Thika Sports Club, Nyeri Golf Club, Nakuru Golf Club, Kericho Golf Club, Great Rift Valley Lodge, Kitale Golf Club, Machakos Golf Club, Sigona Golf Club, Nyali Golf Club, Nandi Bears Golf Club and Karen Country Club.