By OUR CORRESPONDENT
The Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing heads to the coast next week as the Absa Invitational, the fourth leg of the 2026 season, tees off at the scenic Nyali Golf & Country Club from 7th to 9th July.
The three-day tournament has attracted a strong field of 80 golfers from nine countries, further underlining the growing stature of the Tour as East Africa’s global pathway to professional golf.
The field comprises seasoned professionals, elite amateurs, junior golfers and lady professionals, all competing for a share of the KES 2 million prize purse, valuable Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points.
Fresh from claiming a dramatic playoff victory at the Kabete Challenge, Kakamega Sports Club veteran Dismas Indiza arrives at Nyali seeking back-to-back victories and a third Sunshine Development Tour title. The experienced professional has rediscovered his form and will be one of the favourites on a course that demands precision and course management.
Also expected to feature prominently is Njoroge Kibugu, who returns to Nyali as the defending champion, having won the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing event at the course last season. The NCBA-sponsored professional, who has since earned a full Sunshine Tour card and continues to compete on the main tour, will be looking to recapture the form that saw him dominate on this course a year ago.
Karen Country Club’s Edwin Mudanyi, who narrowly missed out on the Kabete Challenge title after losing to Indiza in a sudden-death playoff is also expected to mount a strong challenge. Having come within touching distance of victory, Mudanyi will be eager to go one better on the coast.
Home fans will have plenty to cheer, led by Nyali Golf & Country Club professionals Daniel Nduva and elite amateur Adel Balala. Nduva arrives in confident mood after securing his maiden Sunshine Development Tour title at the NCBA Royal Classic in Nairobi, while Balala has been one of the Tour’s most consistent performers this season, registering podium finishes and proving he can challenge the region’s best despite retaining his amateur status.
Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera, winner of the season-opening Thika leg, returns hoping to reclaim top spot on the Order of Merit after another solid campaign that has seen him consistently feature among the leading foreign professionals.
Attention will also be on newly turned professionals Michael Karanga, John Lejirma and Sammy Mulama, who continue adapting impressively to life in the professional ranks. Karanga has already demonstrated his potential with podium finishes in his opening events as a professional and will be looking to convert that consistency into a maiden Sunshine Development Tour victory.
The international field promises another exciting contest, with Uganda represented by experienced professionals Ronald Rugumayo, Abraham Ainamani, Gaita Rodell Tadeo, Phillip Kasozi and Bagalana Hussein.
Tanzania has assembled a formidable contingent featuring Nuru Mollel, Isaac Wanyeche, Fadhyl Nkya, Abdallah Yusufu and promising amateur Isiaka Dunia, while Nigeria will once again be strongly represented by Sunday Olapade, Godwin Okoko, Kamalu Bako, Ajayi Tajudeen, Ideriah Solomon and Eze Monday.
The tournament also features players from Rwanda, the United States, the United Kingdom and India, reflecting the Tour’s growing international appeal.
The women’s professional field will feature Naom Wafula and Margaret Njoki, who continue to fly the flag for women’s professional golf in Kenya as they compete alongside the men in pursuit of ranking points and prize money.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing CEO David Ndung’u said the Tour continues to gather momentum with every event.
“The competition has continued to improve from one event to the next, and that is exactly what we hoped to achieve by bringing the Sunshine Development Tour to East Africa. Every tournament is producing new contenders and giving players valuable opportunities to compete for world ranking points and progression to the Sunshine Tour.”
“Nyali has produced some memorable moments on the Sunshine Development Tour, including Njoroge Kibugu’s victory here last season. We have another outstanding field this year, and with the quality of players competing, we expect another exciting and closely contested tournament,” he added.
Since the start of the season, the Sunshine Development Tour has produced three different winners. Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera claimed the opening event at Thika Sports Club before Daniel Nduva captured the NCBA Royal Classic at Royal Nairobi Golf Club. Most recently, Dismas Indiza emerged victorious after a thrilling playoff at the Kabete Challenge, highlighting the competitiveness that has characterized this year’s circuit.
