Stage set for Duracoat Golf Masters grand finale

 

2026 Duracoat Golf Masters overall gross winner Faith Chemutai lines her putt at Eldoret Club on November 14, 2026. [Mose Sammy, Standard]

The nine-hole Eldoret Club layout pulsed with competitive energy and camaraderie as 130 golfers teed off in the penultimate leg of the 2026 Duracoat Golf Masters golf series.

It served as the 12th round and final qualifier ahead of the November 28 grand finale at the Mount Kipipiri Gor Resort.

Players were drawn from across the country, including visiting contingents from Kericho Club, Nyahururu Country Club, Nakuru Golf Club, Muthaiga Golf Club, Nandi Bears Club, Nyanza Golf Club, Thika Sports Club, VetLab Sports Club, Machakos Golf Club, and Limuru Country Club.

The series has been played at 11 other venues including VetLab Sports Club, Sigona Golf Club, Nakuru Golf Club, Ruiru Sports Club, and Nanyuki Sports Club.

Others were Limuru Country Club, Nyali Golf and Country Club, Kericho Golf Club, Nyanza Golf Club, and Karen Country Club.

In the fiercely contested battle for top honours, Faith Chemutai of Nandi Bears Golf Club clinched the overall gross title after carding an impressive 76 gross off a handicap of 5 to tame Eldoret demanding layout.

Reflecting on her victory, Chemutai attributed the win to her discipline off the tee and sharp course management skill.

"Eldoret's altitude makes the ball fly, so keeping it out of the trees and water was the real test; staying patient and trusting my yardages made all the difference," Chemutai said.

Wesley Kiprono delivered the standout stableford performance of the day, firing 41 points off handicap 17 to capture the men's category title ahead of second-placed Ben Macharia, who brought back 38 stableford points while playing off handicap 14.

Third-placed finisher wax Dennis Rono with 36 stableford points.

Kiprono noted that clearly marked pin positions and generous fairways rewarded his steady shot selection, extending a hot streak that saw him win his previous outing with a score of 42 stableford points.

In the ladies' division, Sharon Moraa claimed top spot with 37 stableford points off a handicap of 20, edging out runner-up Hellen Yego who carded 36 stableford points off a handicap of 30, and third-placed Gorrety Mutai who rounded up the podium with a score of 36 stableford points, off a handicap of 18.

Auxiliary prizes underscored the depth of talent on the course.

Brian Kimutai and Faith Chemutai unleashed the Longest drives in the men’s and ladies’ categories respectively, while Johana Cheptoo and Monica Waithera took Nearest-to-the-Pin awards.

The lighthearted Best-Effort award went to Oba Eke, who finished with a paltry 9 stableford points off handicap 26, and JetTour Kenya’s hole-in-one car stationed on the 11th hole remained unclaimed, leaving the prize intact for the Mount Kipipiri finale.

Beyond the fairways, the event doubled as a showcase for Eldoret Club’s ambitious transformation.

Having rebuilt its clubhouse debt-free in record time following a devastating 2022 fire, the 122-year-old institution now has heavy machinery on the ground expanding its congested nine-hole course into a full 18-hole championship layout.

The tournament marked a celebratory milestone in a 13-round nationwide series that has drawn over 2,800 golfers since May.

At the Nyeri Golf Club, Stella Mwangi, playing off a handicap of 8 was declared the overall winner of the inaugural KCB Group CEO Golf Series held on Saturday.

Mwangi carded 40 stableford points to edge out handicap 7, Daniel Weru, on countback and clinch the top honours in a tournament that attracted 178 golfers.

Handicap 25, Daisy Mumbi, emerged as the overall lady winner after returning 38 stableford points, while Vinesh Shah, playing off handicap 23, topped the men’s Division Two category with 50 nett. Catherine Nganga, handicap 32, claimed the ladies' Division Two title with 41 nett.

In Division Three, John Nduru, playing off handicap 34, emerged as the men’s winner with 42 nett, while Linet Murage, handicap 54, clinched the ladies' category with 43 nett.

Mwangi attributed her victory to consistent preparation, teamwork and discipline on the course.

"Golf is a game that requires discipline, patience and consistency. I have been playing with my four-ball regularly, and we have been encouraging each other to keep improving. My preparation ahead of this competition also played an important role. The key was keeping my head down, staying focused and taking every shot as it came. I am delighted to have won the inaugural edition of the series.”