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The Kenya Golf Union launched a partnership with the Brookhurst School to have golf implemented as a sport in the school. The event was held at Brookhurst School-Kiserian Campus and was attended by students and officials from the school, Kenya Golf Union and Junior Golf Foundation officials.

The KGU Chairman-Mr Philip Ochola-speaking during the event thanked Brookhurst School for the great decision and to encouraged other schools to emulate. “We believe that the youth/ juniors represent the future of our beloved sport, it is therefore imperative that we provide them with the necessary resources, mentorship and opportunities to thrive. KGU has partnered with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and signed an MOU that intends to introduce golf in schools as one way of demystifying and developing this game.”

The director of the school, Prof Ruth Waweru, noted that the partnership is very much in line with the core principles of the school that include academic excellence, sports and talent development. “The school has produced exceptional students in academics and extra-curricular activities and the introduction of golf is a great step for the school.”

The JGF President-Regina Gachora- stressed the importance of nurturing talents from an early age and the opportunities that are available for juniors. “For Golf in schools to succeed, it is important for the students to be members of Junior Golf Foundation that grants them access to all golf clubs affiliated to the Kenya Golf Union. The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts recently launched the Talanta Hela Initiative which promotes talents whether in sports or the arts. Your talent can open scholarship opportunities for you and can even be monetized,” she said. The students also got an opportunity to hit some golf balls as guided by the veteran golf professionals, Rose Naliaka and Jacob Okello and were greatly excited on the prospects of taking up the sport.

Kiambu Golf Club’s Michael Karanga Sunday won the Railway Invitation tournament with a three rounds total of four under 212 gross at the par 72 Kenya Railway Golf Club course.

He posted an impressive six under par 66 with a three rounds total of four under 212 gross. Playing with home player John Lejrmah in the final round, he set off well for the day, picking up two straight birdies in the first two holes.

Karanga now leads the KAGC series with a total of 534.4 points, well ahead of Lejirmah who earned 56 points for his second place for a total of 319 points

The Kenya Golf Union (KGU) has named six amateur golfers who will participate in this year’s Magical Kenya Open to be held at Muthaiga Golf Club from March 9 to 12.

The names were announced on Sunday at Sigona Golf Club after the conclusion of the 64th Sigona Bowl tournament, the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) season opener.

Releasing the names, KGU chairman Njani Ndiritu said the team will travel to South Africa for special training and participate in some tournaments.

Leading the team is national team captain Dennis Maara of Limuru Country Club, who qualified for the DP World Tour Magical Kenya after winning the Kenya Amateur Match Play Championship at Royal Nairobi Golf Club last year after beating Muthaiga’s Jay Sandhu in the final.

Others are John Lejirmah from Kenya Ralway Golf Club, Jay Sandhu of Muthaiga, Njoroge Kibugu and Daniel Kiragu from Muthaiga and Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Adel Balala.

Lejirmah won the Kenya Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship at Vipingo Ridge Kilifi, and ended the 2022 season as the top amateur golfer.

Njoroge Kibugu earned his place in the Open by virtue of been the only Kenyan golfer who made the cut during last year’s Open, while Kiragu and Balala qualified through their positions in the order of Merit.

Defending champion Adel Balala beat Kenya Amateur StrokePlay Champion John Lejirmah of Kenya Railway Golf Club by four shots, to retain the Nyali Open golf title at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club course Mombasa on Sunday.

The Nyali player Balala, who has not been in his great form over the past three months, shot a 54-hole total of one over par 214, to keep the trophy at home. Lejirmah had posted 218 gross to finish second, with William Odeck on 219 coming home third, while Golf Park’s Sammy Mulama on 221 was fourth.

John Lejirmah is the country’s best amateur golfer after accumulating a total of 594 points. He was awarded the trophy for being the best Kenya Amateur player with an average lowest gross score of 71.85 per round.

Lejirma was named after the final event of the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship Event – Nyali Open

Muthaiga Golf Club’s Jay Sandhu beat a field of 57 leading golfers at the par 72 Royal Nairobi Golf Club course, to claim the 2022 Uhuru Shield golf tournament on Sunday.

Sandhu, who has been a regular player at Royal where he started his golfing career though he is a member of Muthaiga, posted an impressive final round two under 70, to beat Kenya Railway Golf Club’s James Kamenchu by a whole 10 shots. Starting with three over par on Friday’s first round, Sandhu moved to the top after posting one under par 71 in the second round on Saturday.

“My game has been very good as I am hitting the ball pretty well though my putting has not been 100 per cent. All the same, I am very happy winning the Uhuru Shield because it has put me at a fairly safe place for next year’s Magical Kenya Open,’’ said Sandhu who plays well at Royal particularly where the course is a bit wet.

Kiambu Golf Club

Home Player Michael Karanga shot a fantastic 2 under par 72 to win the inaugural Kiambu Open. Karanga played a 4 under par in the first round to take a 4 shot lead from Uganda’s Michael Alunga and Kenya Railway’s Joseph Gathumbi. In the second round, he played 2 over par and maintained the lead by 4 strokes. Joseph Gathumbi played identical rounds of 1 over par to finish second on 2 over par beating Alunga on count back. Junior Golfer Elvis Muigua had a hole in one in hole no. 4

The 1st Kiambu Open attracted 70 players from Kiambu, VetLab, Golf Park, Eldoret, Windsor, Ruiru, Mombasa, Sigona, Royal Nairobi, Kenya Railway, Uganda, Kericho, Machakos, Kakamega, Muthaiga, Thika Greens, Limuru, Great Rift Valley Golf Clubs. The event is one of the three new events that were added to the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) Circuit including the Golf Park Open held in May and Malindi Open “Vasco Da Gama Cup” held in August. The players compete for KAGC ranking points which contribute to the selection of amateurs to the 2023 Magical Kenya Open. Two Amateurs-Dennis Maara and John Lejirma have already earned slots after winning the Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship and Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship respectively.

The Kenya Golf Union Chairman, Njani Ndiritu, thanked the club for organizing the event and KenGen for sponsoring the tournament. “We are excited to see the conclusion of a well-organized tournament and we are open to any requests from clubs to host a KAGC event,” Mr. Ndiritu said. He also urged the golfers to do the Rules Schools Trainings to ensure that the standards of the game is upheld. The Kiambu Captain-Harrison Mwaura thanked Kenya Golf Union for the inclusion of the Kiambu Open in the KAGC Calendar and promised the continued organization of the event annually.

Upcoming KAGC Events

-Nandi Bear Open Shield – Nandi Bears – 26 -27th November 2022 (This coming weekend)

-Uhuru Shield-Royal Nairobi Golf Club- 2nd-4th December 2022

-Nyali Open- Nyali Golf & Country Club-9th-11th December 2022