Last year, Naomi Wafula made history as the first female golfer to win a tournament in the Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAGC) series.
The Vipingo Ridge Golf Club star stunned the East African golf community by clinching the Kiambu Open title in a thrilling showdown against Uganda’s Godfrey Nsubuga.
The two competitors were neck and neck, finishing the three-round tournament at the par-72 Kiambu Golf Club course with identical scores of two-under-par 214.
This tie led to an intense four-hole playoff on holes 1, 2, 8, and 9, where they remained deadlocked.
The competition then escalated to a sudden-death playoff on hole 18.
Both players parred on their first attempt, but on the second, Wafula held her nerve, sinking a par while Nsubuga faltered with a bogey, sealing her historic victory.
This weekend, Wafula returns to Kiambu for the 2024 NCBA Kiambu Open, which tees off today and runs from Friday to Sunday.
Speaking to Golf Score Kenya ahead of the third edition of the event, Wafula expressed confidence in her readiness to defend her title.
“I’m so excited and fully prepared for this weekend’s Kiambu Open. Winning last year was a truly special moment, and I’m determined to give my all in defending the title. I’m focused, prepared, and ready to put in my best efforts. Let’s see what the weekend brings,” she said.
Wafula will be competing among a field of 78 talented golfers from across Kenya and the East African region, including participants from Uganda and Rwanda.
Homegrown talents like Michael Karanga, Elvis Muigua, Michael Ngene, and Stephen Kiaro are also expected to deliver top-tier performances this weekend.
Karanga, currently leading the 2024 KAGC series with 722 points, was the winner of the first edition of the Kiambu Open in 2022.
Team Kenya captain John Lejirma, who represents Kenya Railways Golf Club, holds second place in this year’s KAGC series with 646 points and will also be competing.
Muigua, ranked third with 449.3 points, is another strong contender to watch.
The event has also attracted a formidable lineup of lady golfers, including local standout Joyce Wanjiru, India’s Riddima Singh, and Karen Country Club’s Kellie Gachaga.
This year’s KAGC series has provided a fantastic platform for emerging talent, highlighted by new champions such as Elly Barno, who won the NCBA Nandi Bears Open, and William Odek, the Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Champion in Nyali.
Other notable winners include Josephat Rono (NCBA Golf Park Open), Titus Okwong from Uganda (NCBA Tea Fields Trophy in Kericho), Felix Dusabe from Rwanda (NCBA Mt. Kenya Championship in Nyeri), Michael Alunga from Uganda (Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship at Windsor), and John Kamais (NCBA Nyanza Open in Kisumu).
Speaking ahead of the 2024 NCBA Kiambu Open, Kenya Golf Union (KGU) chairman, David Ndung’u, expressed gratitude towards NCBA Group for their ongoing support of the amateur golf circuit.
“The NCBA-sponsored KAGC Series has provided a unique opportunity for both established and upcoming players to showcase their talent and compete at the highest level. The sponsorship has played a key role in developing the sport, giving golfers the platform, they need to progress and gain international exposure,” he said.