Kenya’s Njoroge Kibugu in action during the second round of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing at Nyali Golf & Country Club. [Sunshine Tour]
Two-time DP World Tour champion Haydn Porteous of South Africa has confirmed his participation at the SportsBiz Africa Golf Championship.
The event slated for September 3-5 at the Kigali Golf Resort & Villas in Kigali, Rwanda will be the fifth edition of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing 2025 season.
Porteous, a two-time DP world winner (with wins at the 2016 Joburg Open and the 2017 Czech Masters), a former Kenya Open champion (with his win of the 2015 Barclays Kenya Open) and a Sunshine Tour winner of the 2016 Investec Cup, is part of a star-studded field of over 120 golfers from 16 nationalities including Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroon, Malawi, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Burundi, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
Porteous will be part of a strong South African contingent that includes Ivanna Samu, one of the region’s most promising lady professionals, alongside seasoned pros Breen Adam, Harry Konig, Slenda Sithebe, Duma Yolanda, Shawnelle de Lange, Travis Procter, and Myeji Zethu.
Host nation Rwanda will be well represented with 29 golfers, led by Celestin Nsanzuwera, who won the Sunshine Development Tour’s Johnnie Walker Classic in Diani earlier this month, as well as Munyaneza Olivier, Dusabe Jules, and elite amateurs like Ndindabahizi Didas, Paul Ntaganda, Benjamin Mukisa, and Hitayezu Jean D’amour.
Kenya’s contingent is strong, featuring, amongst others, the in-form Njoroge Kibugu – two-time winner of the Sunshine Development Tour with wins at the Thika Greens Golf Resort and the Nyali Golf & Country Club; Dismas Indiza – winner of the Ruiru Sports Club leg of the tournament; Daniel Nduva, Rizwan Charania, Greg Snow, Mutahi Kibugu, and veteran Simon Ngige. Elite amateurs John Lejirma and Michael Karanga are also expected to put up strong performances.
Uganda’s challenge will be spearheaded by Ronald Rugumayo, a consistent performer on the Swing, alongside Abraham Ainamani, Phillip Kasozi, Adolf Muhumuza, and elite amateurs such as Ignatious Twesigye and Tarzan David Lubega.
Other big names from Africa include Zimbabwe’s Visitor Mapwanya, Tonderayi Masunga, and Nyasha Muyambo, Nigeria’s Andrew Odoh, Gift Willy, and Olapade Sunday, Ghana’s Ezekiel Afisco, Cameroon’s Martial Tankou Kuitchou and Pristhy Nji Fon, and Malawi’s Paul Chidale.
Scott Davey of the United Kingdom, an elite amateur, and Daniel Core from Canada, a seasoned professional will also be expected to put up a strong challenge at the tournament.
The women’s field will also be strongly represented, with Kenya’s Naom Wafula, Uganda’s Irene Nakalembe and Lillian Koowe, Rwanda’s junior standout Noeline Narubega, and South Africa’s Duma Yolanda, Myeji Zethu, and Shawnelle De Lange all vying for a place at the top of the leaderboard.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament will feature a USD 25,000 (KES 3.2 million) prize purse; and will feature a cut after 36 holes, with the top 30 players and ties advancing to the final round.
Beyond the prize money, the event offers Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points, Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) 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.
Speaking ahead of the championship, Charles Gacheru, Promoter of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, said: “We are excited to be taking the Sunshine Development Tour to the Land of a Thousand Hills in collaboration with our partners SportsBiz Africa. This is part of our vision of having a regional golf tour that offers professionals and elite amateurs a pathway to global golf, and we are pleased to see such a massive interest from golfers from 16 countries signing up to be part of the occasion. This turnout is a clear sign of the confidence that players, sponsors, and fans are placing in the East Africa Swing.”
“With such a competitive line-up, including international stars like Haydn Porteous and homegrown talent like Celestin Nsanzuwera, we expect three days of thrilling golf in Kigali. The level of competition will not only push our players to raise their game but also demonstrate to the world that East Africa is ready to host world-class golf events,” he added.
The tournament will be a precursor to the 2025 SportsBiz Africa Forum – an annual event held in Rwanda that aims to advance Africa’s sports industry and enhance the sports business sector towards sustainable development in the continent.
On his part, SportsBiz Africa Forum lead, Christian Gakwaya said: “We are proud to have the SportsBiz Africa Golf Championship as part of our Forum calendar. Our mission with the Forum has always been to grow Africa’s sports industry by connecting key players, investors, and decision makers, and this tournament captures that vision perfectly. Golf is not only a sport but also a driver of tourism, attracts investment, and gives our athletes global exposure. Hosting this event in Kigali shows how sports can contribute to Rwanda’s growth and how Africa can use sport as a powerful tool for sustainable development.”