Kibugu takes early lead at Karen Sunshine Development Tour leg

Njoroge Kibugu in action at the Sunshine Development Tour Karen edition/HANDOUT

Windsor Golf and Country Club professional Njoroge Kibugu fired a superb six-under-par 64 to seize the early lead after the opening round of the Absa Invitational Series, the final event of the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing, played at Karen Country Club.

Kibugu mixed brilliance with resilience on the par-70 course. His round featured birdies at the 1st, 7th and 9th holes on the front nine, offset by bogeys at the 6th and 8th. On the back nine, he picked up an early birdie at the 10th, dropped shots at the 11th and 13th, and then finished strongly with back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th to sign for a commanding 64.

“It was pretty alright today, smooth sailing,” said Kibugu after his round. “I had a couple of bogeys on the card, but finishing six under, I am happy. The course played quite well. The greens are not the smoothest, but I’ll take the score. Tomorrow, I’ll just stick to my game plan and hope for the best.”

Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera sits second on the leaderboard at five-under par. He carded birdies at the 1st, 2nd, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 17th, with a bogey at the 11th and a costly double bogey at the 13th.

“I started pretty well with a birdie where I teed off,” said Nsanzuwera. “I made mistakes on 11 and 13, but I stayed focused and didn’t drop any more shots. Finishing five under is a good start. I really want to win the overall title — it would be my third win on the tour, and winning the final event would earn me a Sunshine Tour card.”

Third place is shared by Isaiah Otuke and Johnny Limb, both on three-under par. Otuke’s round included eight birdies at the 2nd, 9th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th, against five bogeys. Limb recorded birdies at the 1st, 7th, 10th, 12th and 14th, with bogeys at the 13th and 15th.

“The course was playing fair, and I’m happy with my score,” said Limb. “It feels more comfortable playing at home. I’ve played here since I was a kid, so I know my way around and felt confident coming into the tournament.”

Tied for fifth at two-under par are Daniel Nduva, Mike Kisia, Kenneth Bollo, Uganda’s Otile Ronald, and Nigeria’s Kamalo Bako, all well positioned heading into the second round.

The Absa Invitational Series at Karen Country Club carries a Sh2 million prize purse, along with Official World Golf Ranking points and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points. These points are crucial in determining qualification for the Sunshine Development Tour Africa Championship, a key pathway to earning full Sunshine Tour membership.