Absa Bank Commits KSh6 Million to Boost Kenya’s Emerging Golf Talent

By Our Reporter Maurice Momanyi

Absa Bank Kenya has committed KSh6 million to sponsor three tournaments in the 2026 Sunshine Development Golf Tour Series, reinforcing its support for the growth of professional golf and the development of emerging talent in Kenya.

The sponsorship will fund three legs of the tour at Nyali Golf & Country Club, Ruiru Sports Club and Kipipiri Golf Club, with each event receiving KSh2 million to support prize money and tournament logistics.

This marks the second consecutive year that Absa has partnered with the Sunshine Development Tour, a platform that provides competitive opportunities for aspiring professional golfers and serves as a bridge between amateur and elite professional golf.

Speaking during the announcement, Absa Bank Kenya Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs Mwihaki Wachira said the partnership reflects the bank’s commitment to nurturing talent by creating opportunities for young athletes to excel.

“At Absa, we believe that talent reaches its full potential when it is matched with opportunity. Through our partnership with the Sunshine Development Golf Tour, we are investing in a platform that gives Kenya’s emerging golfers the exposure, competitive experience and confidence they need to take the next step in their careers while contributing to the long-term growth of the sport,” she said.

The first tournament of the series tees off on Tuesday, July 7, at Nyali Golf & Country Club before moving to Ruiru Sports Club and Kipipiri Golf Club later in the season.

The Nyali event has attracted 80 golfers from nine countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, India, the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa. The field features seasoned professionals, rising amateurs, junior golfers and lady professionals, underscoring the tour’s role as East Africa’s premier pathway to professional golf.

Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing CEO David Ndungu welcomed the sponsorship, saying it will strengthen the tour’s mission of providing sustainable opportunities for golfers across the region.

He noted that the tour has become an important pathway for players seeking to earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points, which are key to progressing to the main Sunshine Tour.

Since its launch last year, the tour has helped several golfers advance to higher levels of competition. Among those who have earned Sunshine Tour playing cards are Njoroge Kibugu, Greg Snow, Dismas Indiza, Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera and Kenya’s Naomi Wafula, who qualified for the Sunshine Ladies Tour.

Absa said the sponsorship aligns with its broader strategy of supporting initiatives that empower individuals, strengthen communities and contribute to Kenya’s long-term social and economic development.