Rising amateur golfer John Kamais of Nakuru Golf Club is the player to watch at this weekend’s NCBA 2024 Tea Fields Trophy, hosted at Kericho Golf Club.
The tournament has drawn 64 participants, including Kamais, home player Tej Bachu, William Odeck of Nyali Golf and Country Club, Elly Barno from Nandi Bears, and Raphael Leming’ani of Golf Park.
Also, in the lineup are Kiambu’s Joyce Wanjiru and Uganda’s Michael Tumusiime from Entebbe Golf Club.
Kamais, currently ranked fifth in the 2024 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series with 219.7 points, enters as the favourite with the top four players—Michael Karanga, John Lejirma, Elvis Muigua, and Adel Balala—absent due to other commitments.
Lejirma, Muigua, and Balala will represent Kenya at the All-Africa Golf Team Championship in Zimbabwe from October 27 to November 2.
Kamais recently claimed second place at the NCBA Diani Beach Masters after a thrilling playoff against Lejirma.
Tied at 220 (+4) after 54 holes, Kamais narrowly missed the win in a sudden-death playoff, with Lejirma clinching it on the par-5 18th.
Kamais has shown strong form this season, winning his first KAGC title at the NCBA Nyanza Open ‘Hippo Pot’ Tournament in September.
He also took third place at the NCBA Nandi Bears Open Shield in October, third at the NCBA Coronation Cup in May, second at the NCBA Golf Fields Trophy in Kakamega in June, and fourth at the NCBA Coast Open Barry Cup in July.
“I sincerely thank NCBA, the primary sponsor of this year’s KAGC series, for giving us a platform to earn and showcase our skills,” Kamais said.
“Their support has positively impacted our lives, enabling us to meet our basic needs and pursue golf more seriously.”
The NCBA Tea Fields Trophy offers a prize purse of Sh400,000, with Sh74,000 awarded to the winner.
The 54-hole stroke play competition will span three rounds of 18 holes each, adhering to R&A Rules Limited guidelines, along with local rules by the Kenya Golf Union (KGU) and KAGC regulations.
David Ndung’u, chairman of the Kenya Golf Union, noted the series’ growth in participation, crediting NCBA’s sponsorship.
“Their support has allowed players to focus on their performance and raised their living standards. We’re also seeing increased participation from juniors and women, which is fantastic for the sport,” he said.