The inaugural Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing (SDT- EAS) concluded Wednesday at the Karen Golf and Country Club in Nairobi, with Kenyan golfer Njoroge Kibugu declared the overall champion. The 10-legged series spanned ten months of competition.
Njoroge Kibugu secured the Order of Merit championship with 1497 points, accumulating 196 under par on the final day. Rwandese golfer Celestin Nsanzuwera finished second overall with 1317 points, carding nine under par 201. Dismas Indiza completed the podium with 753 points, and the top ten positions were filled by Kenyan players. Kibugu received Sh400,000 from the Sh2 million prize purse provided by Absa Bank Kenya.
Absa Bank Kenya Head of Brand and Marketing Peter Waweru praised the series, noting the emergence of new talent and the history made by Kibugu. Absa Bank Kenya committed Sh7 million to support the tournament and the development of new golfing talent. Waweru stated the bank plans to expand its support to other sports disciplines in the future. He emphasized the bank’s commitment to supporting players and the broader ecosystem, including entrepreneurs in the transport and hospitality industries.
Kibugu credited the SDT-EAS for helping him grow as a golfer, noting it provided an opportunity to take his game to the next level. He will now compete in the Sunshine Tour in South Africa starting in May and is focused on improving his course management and technical skills. He acknowledged the support of his caddy, Bo Ciera, and highlighted the importance of patience, resilience, and continuous practice. Kibugu also expressed appreciation for his fans and promised to continue striving for success.
The SDT-EAS series offered players opportunities to earn Official World Golf Ranking points, World Amateur Golf Ranking points, and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points. The series was designed to address a gap in the regional golf ecosystem by providing regular competitive opportunities for professional and amateur golfers. Five female golfers also participated in the mixed field.
The 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. Following that, the top 30 players from each tour will compete in the Big Easy Tour Finals in South Africa, with 12 slots available for the Sunshine Tour Final Qualifying School.
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