Two different fairways, one shared heartbeat. In Nairobi, the Nation Golf Classic and NCBA Golf Series offered a vivid snapshot of where East African golf stands today, rooted in tradition at Karen Country Club and surging with competitive fire at Muthaiga Golf Club. As the Classic marked four decades of community and continuity, the NCBA Grand Finale produced a champion forged in patience and precision.
A milestone moment at Karen Country Club
Friday at the par-72 Karen Country Club was more than a tee sheet, it was a celebration of Kenya’s longest running golf series. The Nation Golf Classic returned to the venue where the series began in March 1985, born as part of Nation Media Group’s silver jubilee, and this year it celebrated its 40th anniversary with a field of 192 golfers that included top executives.
Since its inception, the tournament sponsored by Nation Media Group has toured numerous venues across the country, offering local golfers a chance to play the game while contributing to social causes. It remains a proud testament to NMG’s commitment to excellence, community engagement, and the advancement of golf in the region, and NTV confirmed it would broadcast the championship live.
There was a strong cast of familiar supporters of the Classic. Those drawn included Muthaiga’s senior golfers Paul Gondi and Richard Wanjala, Nyanza’s Don Riaroh, KCB boss Paul Russo, and former NMG CEO Linus Gitahi, while Golf Kenya President Philip Ochola and Nyali Golf and Country Club chairman Jayne Githere were set to grace the occasion. It was a reminder that the event continues to attract figures who care deeply about the game and its growth.
The Karen event also carried a note of gratitude. NMG used the moment to thank former board Chairman Dr Wilfred Kiboro, a visionary figure who played a leading role in shaping both the Nation Classic Golf Series and the wider Nation Media Group. In that spirit of service, the NMG Foundation is leveraging the Classic to strengthen partnerships in sports, literacy, environmental sustainability, community development, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as to drive commercial collaborations that sustain the game’s ecosystem.
A finale of precision at Muthaiga Golf Club
On Friday, 28 November at Muthaiga Golf Club, the NCBA Golf Series Grand Finale brought together the finest amateur talent from across East Africa. Ninety qualifiers arrived from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, and in total the finale attracted a field of 250 players that included invited guests, a reflection of how the series has grown into one of the region’s most prestigious amateur stages.
What followed was a tightly contested round on a demanding championship layout. Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s Kevin Juma, playing off handicap 4, posted 76 gross to claim the Overall Title of the fifth edition of the NCBA Golf Series, a triumph that demanded discipline on every shot. In a field stacked with accomplished competitors, his clarity under pressure made the difference.
“This victory means a lot to me because the NCBA Golf Series brings together some of the strongest players from across the region. The Muthaiga course was demanding as usual, so I had to focus on every shot. I tried to stay patient and play my game, especially on the back nine where conditions were tough. I am grateful for the opportunity to compete at this level, and I want to thank NCBA for creating a platform that pushes golfers like us to keep improving,” Juma offered after his victory.
Kevin Juma seizes his moment
Juma’s win carried extra resonance given his pathway into the finale. He had earlier won the Overall Men’s title at his home club’s leg of the series in September, then navigated the test at Muthaiga with the composure of a player in form. That performance yielded more than the trophy, the champion earned Ksh130,000, an air ticket to London courtesy of Kenya Airways, a signature leather bag from Sandstorm, and a bottle of Johnnie Walker courtesy of EABL, fitting rewards for a player who mastered a difficult day on a storied course.
The margin was as thin as a putter’s face. VetLab Sports Club’s John Odhiambo, playing off handicap 3, also carded 76 gross. He lost out on countback due to Juma’s lower handicap, a razor-close finish that underlined how unrelenting Muthaiga can be when every swing is weighed. Odhiambo’s run was outstanding, and he received Ksh130,000, an air ticket to Mauritius courtesy of Kenya Airways, a Sandstorm signature bag and a bottle of Johnnie Walker, a haul that reflected a performance of high quality.
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Mary Karano leads the ladies with calm and class
VetLab delivered another champion through Mary Karano, who continued her consistency in the series by winning the Overall Lady Winner title at Muthaiga with 79 gross off handicap 12. She had been set for a third straight appearance at the Grand Finale, and she made it count with a composed round that kept her ahead of the pack.
Karano’s equity in this series has grown with each season, and the finale reinforced that pattern. She earned Ksh130,000, an air ticket to South Africa courtesy of Kenya Airways, a Sandstorm bag, and a bottle of Johnnie Walker, a fitting slate for a winner who balanced aggression and control when it mattered most.
Strength in depth across divisions and categories
Beyond the headline champions, the Grand Finale showcased the breadth of talent across divisions. In Division One, Tanzania’s Lugalo Golf Club was represented on top through Mwanansu Nsajigwa, a handicap 8 player who tallied 77 points and edged Evans Kirui, handicap 12, on countback, proof that the fight for places ran deep into the leaderboard.
Division Two belonged to Kitale’s Joseph Kitavi, handicap 23, who secured top spot with 44 points. The ladies’ Division Two winner was Lillian Kong’ani on 37 points, a consistent card that held firm. In Division Three, Ann Atieno, handicap 29, posted 40 points and edged Josephine Chesang, handicap 26, by a single point, a one-stroke story that captured the fine margins that defined the day.
The junior ranks added a flourish to the finale. Marcel Adeyemo, handicap 28, returned an impressive 41 points to claim the junior title, a performance that underlined the growing strength of youth golfing talent across the region. In the subsidiary categories, Staff honors went to Amon Ngecu, handicap 25, with 38 points, while the Guest prize was secured by Patrick Cheruiyot, handicap 26, with 44 points, evidence that competitive spirit ran through every bracket.
What the numbers say about growth
The Grand Finale was a capstone to a campaign that extended the series’ reach and impact. As NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora noted, the 2025 Golf Series season spread across East Africa hosted 38 events, including qualifiers, mugs and club nights, and together those events formed a vibrant and connected golfing community. His perspective came on a night he described as special, five years since the series was launched in 2021 with a mission to grow the sport, nurture talent, and bring communities together.
“Tonight is special because it marks five years since we began this journey. When we launched the NCBA Golf Series in 2021, our vision was to build a platform that could help grow the sport, nurture talent, and bring communities together. Looking back today, I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished collectively,” Gachora said at the awards gala.
Gachora cited an investment of over Ksh200 million in golf, which has enabled the series to connect with more than 10,000 golfers, activate over 400 tournaments, and work with nearly all golf clubs across the region. Since the 2025 series teed off in January at Kenya Railway Golf Club, more than 5,102 golfers have participated in 40 tournaments held across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, a scale that underlines how appetite and access are both rising.
The series’ footprint has also taken root in familiar venues. The Grand Finale of the inaugural edition took place at Karen Country Club in 2021, then moved to Muthaiga Golf Club in 2022, travelled to Sigona Golf Club in 2023, and returned to Muthaiga Club in 2024, a rotation that has leveraged the region’s most respected courses and communities.
Backing the next chapter of elite competition
Beyond amateur competition, NCBA is helping to build pathways into the professional game. Rising star Njoroge Kibugu has officially joined the NCBA professional squad, the latest addition to a group of pros supported by the bank on the PGK Equator Tour that includes Edwin Mudanyi, Eric Obura, and Abraham Galgalo. That investment strengthens the bridge between today’s leading amateurs and tomorrow’s tour contenders, amplifying the value of the series for aspiring players.
Legacy meets momentum in a pivotal week
The symmetry of the week was striking. At Karen, the Nation Golf Classic celebrated 40 years of steady stewardship, guided by partners such as Safaricom, Sanlam or Allianz, Family Bank, and Kenya Pipeline Company, and shaped by leaders like Dr Wilfred Kiboro whose legacy continues to ripple through the game. At Muthaiga, the NCBA Golf Series delivered a finale defined by fine margins, where Kevin Juma found the extra half turn he needed to lift the overall title.
Both events highlighted what makes Kenyan and East African golf compelling. Tradition and continuity were visible at the Classic, with a guest list that reflected the sport’s leadership and its loyal base of supporters. At the same time, the NCBA finale offered a window into the competitive depth that has emerged because of consistent investment, structured pathways, and a calendar that connects clubs across borders.
Why it matters for the region
Golf growth is rarely accidental, it springs from deliberate choices that widen participation and sharpen performance. The Nation Golf Classic has, for four decades, provided the platform for community, charity, and access, keeping the game close to the people who sustain it. The NCBA Golf Series has added a regional cadence, a circuit that tests the best amateurs and rewards them with the kind of stages that build resilience.
In that sense, this was a week that told a complete story. The Classic honored pillars of the past and present at Karen, while Muthaiga confirmed how the competitive bar has been raised across East Africa. The sight of young winners emerging alongside seasoned contenders, the presence of corporate partners who keep investing, and the continuation of a series that has engaged thousands of golfers all point to a future that is aligned with the game’s global standards.
The last word from Muthaiga and Karen
Championships have a way of distilling big ideas into single shots and single names. In Nairobi, that distilled image is Juma holding firm on a tough back nine, Odhiambo pressing him to the wire, and Karano setting the pace for the ladies, while the Classic at Karen reaffirmed why the game’s traditions remain the foundation on which new chapters are built.
If golf is a long walk that rewards patience, then this was a week that took East Africa a few strides further. The Nation Golf Classic showed how staying the course creates lasting impact, and the NCBA Golf Series Grand Finale proved that the competitive engine is running stronger than ever. For players, fans, and partners, that is the kind of progress that makes the next tee time impossible to ignore.
