Kibugu leads Kenya's squad to Kigali event

Windsor Club’s Njoroge Kibugu is expected to lead a strong Kenya’s contingent of nine players to Kigali, Rwanda for the SportsBiz Africa Golf Championship in the fifth edition of the Sunshine Development Tour-East Africa Swing 2025 season.

The three-day 54 holes strokes play Championship will be staged from September 3-5 at the Kigali Golf Resort and Villas with a prize purse share pot of Sh3.2 million and will feature a cut after 36 holes with the top 30 players and ties advancing to the final round.

According to a release by the Organiser IMG Kenya Limited, Beyond the prize money, the tournament offers Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points, Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, and World Amateur Golf Ranking points, making it a critical stop for professionals and elite amateurs aiming to climb the global golf ladder and even position themselves for potential qualification to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The in-form Kibugu, a two-time winner of the Tour with wins at the Thika Greens Golf Resort and the Nyali Golf and Country Club will be joined by Kakamega’s Dismas Indiza, winner of the Ruiru Sports Club leg and Nyali’s Daniel Nduva.

Others will be Windsor’s Rizwan Charania, Greg Snow of Muthaiga, club mate Mutahi Kibugu, veteran Simon Ngige from Thika Sports Club with elite amateurs John Lejirma of Kenya Railways and Michael Karanga Kiambu also expected to put up strong performances.

South African Haydn Porteous who has also confirmed his participation will be accompanied by colleagues Ivanna Samu, one of the region’s most promising lady professionals, alongside seasoned professionals Breen Adam, Harry Konig, Slenda Sithebe, Duma Yolanda, Shawnelle de Lange, Travis Procter and Myeji Zethu.

Porteous is a two-time DP World Tour champion with wins at the 2016 Joburg Open and the 2017 Czech Masters), a former Kenya Open champion and a Sunshine Tour winner of the 2016 Investec Cup.