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Time is ticking, hearts beating fast and golf sticks being sharpened as 260 top amateur golfers from the region finally meet when curtains fall on this year’s 11-month long KCB East African golf tour at the par 72 Sigona Golf Club course on Friday.
This much awaited grand finale will see the regional players battle it out on the fairways for Sh1 million grand prize and also seek an opportunity for the lady players to compete in next year’s Magical Kenya Ladies Open (MGKLO) at Vipingo Ridge, Kilifi County.
The Kenyan edition of the series has so far been played in Kisumu, Nakuru, Nairobi, Mombasa, Nyeri, Uasin Gishu, Kericho, Nandi, Kiambu, Machakos, Kisii, Kilifi, Kakamega, Laikipia, and Trans Nzoia counties while regionally it has been staged in Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda.
This year the tour hosted three caddies-only tournaments at Mombasa Golf Club, Nakuru, and Ruiru Sports Club unlike last year in an initiative aimed at on boarding caddies who play a huge role in the sport to also enjoy themselves.
Among the golfers to watch will be the junior golfer Ryan Tolgos who is one of the fast rising young golfers who made an impact on the Tour and also recently emerged as the overall winner of the Eldoret leg of the series after carding an excellent score of 49 stable ford points.
Last year's champion Christine Riaroh from Nyanza Golf Club said this tournament has played a vital role in the growth of golf, especially with the lady golfers.
“The number of women impacted by this series has significantly placed us in a good position to compete in local, regional, and international tournaments. We look forward to an exciting tournament as we are prepared to face our competitors," said Riaroh.
Other names that made the mark this year include Amos Butit, Jackson Kiprono, Wesley Kiprono, Mike Rotich, Kipchirchir Kiprop, Nelson Orgut, Patrick, Kiprop, Geoffrey Kitiwa, Cedric Konzolo, Jack Songwa, Victor Muhando, Julius Oketch, James Mundia, Kunal Chandaria, Maureen Mundia, and Ivan OPokas of Kakamega sports club.
Sigona captain Sammy Mwiti said they are proud of KCB's support for their tremendous work in elevating golf in Kenya and the broader East African region.
“The second edition of the tour was crucial in giving a platform to budding enthusiasts to hone their skills and to enjoy themselves, further strengthening Kenya’s growing reputation as a hub for golfing excellence,” said Mwiti.
He pointed out that club members, partners, members of different clubs and other invited guests will headline the event that will culminate in an awards ceremony, entertainment and an exclusive guest experience off the course in the evening.
KCB Group Director Marketing and Communications Rosalind Gichuru said the bank’s investment in golf has largely been centered on their social conviction that they have a role to play in uplifting communities.
“The 2024 edition has been greatly successful as we attained our aim of interacting with 3,000 participants and 1,500 juniors," said Gichuru.
Gichuru pointed out that the bank partnered with Beulah City, a property firm, which has committed to giving an apartment (in the Ikhaya Beulah Genesis project) valued at Sh2.1 million as the hole-in-one prize for every leg of the 2024 tour.
