Njoroge is Kenya's finest, turns focus on prestigious Sunshine Tour

Absa Bank Kenya Head of Brand and Marketing Peter Waweru (Left) presents Windsor's hard hitter Njoroge Kibugu with the SDT-EAS overall champion's trophy following the latter's victory in Karen, Nairobi, on Wednesday. [JONAH ONYANGO, STANDARD] After grueling 10 months of battle, the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour - East Africa Swing (SDT- EAS) finally came to an end at the lush par 70 Karen Golf and Country Club in Nairobi on Wednesday, with Kenya's golf sensation Njoroge Kibugu emerging the overall champion of the 10-legged series. Kibugu fired 14 under par 196 on the final day to emerge the Order of Merit champion on 1497 points. The 22-year-old Windsor hard hitter shook off strong opposition from resilient Rwandese Celestin Nsanzuwera, who carded nine under par 201 to finish the series second overall on 1317 points. 'Mzee Wa Kazi' Dismas Indiza completed the podium finish after amassing 753 points, with the rest of the top ten positions filled by all Kenyan players. Following his victory in Karen, Kibugu walked away with Sh400,000 from the tournament's Sh2 million prize purse, offered by Absa Bank Kenya. While reflecting on his overall sweet victory, Kibugu said he was very happy with the feat, terming it a win born from hard work, coupled with sweat and blood. "It's not easy to achieve this kind of victory, especially in an inaugural edition. So, I'm so grateful and will continue to work hard to make my dream in the sport alive," he told Standard Sports. Kibugu's win and Kenya's dominance in the series was hailed by Absa Bank Kenya Head of Brand and Marketing Peter Waweru, who noted: "We have been so excited and thrilled to be part of this Absa Invitational Series. It's been two great weeks being part of this tournament, witnessing the emergence of new talents and history being made by our youngster and golf sensation Njoroge on the fairways. "As a Bank, coming on board to support the tournament with Sh 7 million was a fulfillment of our pledge not only to support the players, but to enhance the harnessing of new talents. "We definitely saw amazing skills being displayed on the pristine Karen course and at the Thika Greens, where the ninth and tenth legs of the circuits that we supported were held. "And as we say, Your Story Matters, we saw young and upcoming golfers who we believe in supporting because this is the only sustainable way to grow the sport in the country." Waweru said that apart from golf, where they have planned to support talents on and off the course, they will spread their wings to other sports disciplines in the course of the new season. "Beyond the cheque, we want to have an impact on people, especially players. We are also happy that our support of SDT- EAS trickled down to the whole ecosystem, where entrepreneurs in the transport, hospitality industry, and the fans in general benefited in one way or the other," Waweru noted. Back on Kibugu, the young champion narrated how the SDT -EAS helped his game to grow during the competition that was held both in and out of the country. "It was a long grind, but the tournament was amazing. You know I have attended a few Sunshine Tour events in South Africa, including trying my luck in the Q-Schools, but to no avail. But today, I'm happy to stand here as the first-ever East African Sunshine Tour cardholder, all courtesy of the SDT-EAS. "SDT-EAS helped me to find myself as a golfer. I'm happy that the series gave me a chance to take my game to the next level. I just can't wait to tee off at the Sunshine Tour in South Africa starting May," Kibugu said. Kibugu was quick to hail his long serving caddy Bo Ciera who has walked the journey with him, both as amateur and now as a pro player, saying the tips the former Kenyan golf sensation gave him on the fairways contributed to his four victories in the SDT legs- Thika Greens Golf Resort, Nyali Golf Club, Vetlab Sports Club and Karen Golf and Karen Golf and Country Club. "Bo is one of my best friends, a mentor, a light that guides me. He's been there in every step of the way, both thick and thin. I'm glad that our protracted journey in golf is paying off in a very huge way," Kibugu said. Ahead of his debut in the prestigious Sunshine Tour in May, Kibugu is out to tie a few loose knots that includes course management and the technical and tactical aspects of the game. He highlighted some of the lessons learnt in the SDT- EAS series, among them patience and hard work. "As we trudged along, I realized the tournament was not a sprint but a marathon, so I decided to take each game at a time. Also, resilience and continuous practice made me a good player in the tournament as I was able to perfect my swings and putts," he said. And how was it playing alongside his brother Mutahi, who also finished in the top ten in the Order of Merit? "Mutahi is a great guy. He sharpened my game through positive sibling rivalry during the series. We practiced together, lived together, and also played together a few rounds on the pitch. It was nice to see our talents improve in the circuit and our results in the tournament has made our parents so proud. We will keep on keeping on together." When asked if he felt his fiercest and closest rival Nsanzuwera, was a worthy opponent on the fairways, this is what Kibugu stated: "He was, not only a reckoning rival but a good friend too. We enjoyed the game as we strived to take our points to greater heights. I think he is a great player with a great talent who has a bright future ahead." Kibugu believes the SDT-EAS organisers did a commendable job in the inaugural season but he is hopeful that the prize money will improve as more editions are held in subsequent seasons. As he prepares to relocate to South Africa for the Sunshine Tour series, Kibugu has thanked his ever-growing legion of fans saying they gave him the needed push to win the series at home to qualify for the upcoming global event. "Thanks for your support. It means a lot to me. This journey is not yet done. We have a lot to accomplish together, so stay for an amazing ride," Kibugu told the spectators, promising to do his best and play amazing golf down south. Apart from offering the prize money, the last Absa Invitational Series legs, in Thika and Karen, gave players opportunity to rake in Official World Golf Ranking points, World Amateur Golf Ranking points, and valuable Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points, crucial in the race for Sunshine Tour promotion and also count towards qualification for the 2026 Magical Kenya Open golf. Since its launch in 2025, the SDT-EAS has been designed to address a long-standing gap in the regional golf ecosystem by providing regular, high-quality competitive opportunities for professional golfers and elite amateurs. The series also featured five female golfers competing in the mixed field and they included Wafula, Angel Eaton, Joyce Wanjiru of Kiambu Golf Club who recently turned professional, Margret Njoki and Diana Njue. Following the completion of the SDT in Karen, eyes now turn to the Big Easy Tour Playoff, which will be held at the Modderfontein Golf Club on 27th - 29th January 2026. From the SDT, top 12 players on the combined East Africa Swing and Big Easy Tour Order of Merit will earn direct playing cards to the Sunshine Tour. Afterwards, the top 30 players from the SDT- EAS and top 30 from South Africa's Big Easy Tour will contest the Big Easy Tour Finals, scheduled for March 2026 in South Africa, where 12 slots will be on offer to play at the Sunshine Tour Final Qualifying School for a chance to secure additional Sunshine Tour cards. UTILITIES SDT- EAS Order Of Merit Selected Leaderboard Njoroge Kibugu- 1497 points- Overall Champion Celestin Nsanzuwera (Rwanda)- 1317 Dismas Indiza- 753 John Lejirma-605 Greg Snow-578 C.J Wangai- 512 David Wakhu- 490 Samuel Njoroge- 435 Mutahi Kibugu- 322 Jastas Madoya- 321

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