More Goodies For Players At KCB East Africa Golf Tour

_{KCB Group Director, marketing and Communications Rosalind Gichuru (C) and the Kenya Golf Union Executives pose for a photo during the official launch of the second edition of KCB East Africa Golf Tour at Railways Golf Club.PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO}

NAIROBI, Kenya- The 2024 KCB East Africa Golf Tour series launched in Nairobi on Wednesday promises to be bigger and better this season.

The bank has sunk in Sh65 million into the 24-legged series that will tee-off at the Mombasa Golf Club this weekend.

The second edition of the high-profile circuit, to last for 11 months, will traverse five East African countries namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Apart from Kenya that will host a chunk of the circuit, the other four nations will field two legs each.

_{KCB Group Director, marketing and Communications Rosalind Gichuru (L), Railways Golf Club Vice Chair Jonathan Marucha (C) and Kenya Ladies Golf Union Vice Chairman  Jane Nzibo (R) officially launch the second edition of KCB East Africa Golf Tour at Railways Golf Club. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO}

Hole-In-One champions in the series will each win an apartment worth Sh2.1 million, courtesy of Ikhaya Beulah Genesis, a property firm that has partnered with the bank.

There will be other exciting prizes for the winners of the legs in the tournament that will visit 20 Kenyan counties apart from the international exposures.

Kenyan counties and towns set to enjoy economic benefits of the circuit include Mombasa, Eldoret, Kakamega, Nakuru, Limuru and Nyanza.

Others are Machakos, Thika, Ruiru Sports Club, Kericho, Nyeri, Railway, Nandi Bears, Great Rift Valley, Sigona, Kitale, Kisii, Leisure, Vipingo Ridge and Malindi Golf Club.

_{KCB Group Director, marketing and Communications Rosalind Gichuru tee off during the official launch of the second edition of KCB East Africa Golf Tour at Railways Golf Club. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO}

Because of the increased number of participating clubs and countries, the Grand Finale in December will have a swell in numbers as 168 finalists will battle for glory as opposed to 116 last seasons.

Last year’s Grand Finale was won by the Nyanza team who qualified for the Magical Kenya Ladies Open Pro-Am slated for Vipingo Ridge, Kilifi County on February 7, 2024.

This year’s tournament will still see junior golf clinics conducted alongside the main competitions to continue with identification and nurturing of budding talents in the sport.

Also, the series will promote sustainable actions on climate change among them planting of trees on the courses visited by the circuit.

“We are happy to be promoting sports in Kenya, away from golf we are also supporting volleyball, motorsports, rugby, athletics among others,” KCB Group Director Marketing and Communications Rosalind Gichuru told Standard Sports during the launch.

 “Our objective is to do our part in expanding the sport and giving an opportunity to budding golfers to hone their skills.

“This is centered on our brand purpose For People. For Better., with a robust aim of opening doors of opportunities to individuals, businesses, and communities to realize their full potential and actualize their dreams.”

_{KCB Group Director, marketing and Communications Rosalind Gichuru (L) and Kenya Ladies Golf Union Vice Chairman  Jane Nzibo (R) pose for a photo during the official launch of the second edition of KCB East Africa Golf Tour at Railways Golf Club. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO}

“Our unwavering support and commitment to the sport remains part of our larger citizenship and corporate social investment agenda, riding on our conviction that we must support our communities where we operate in to create a pool of talent that can compete in local, regional, and international competitions to not only etch their names in the history books but also to brand our country in a positive light,” Gichuru added.

In last year’s edition, the tourney reached over 1500 participants and over 800 juniors and ladies in the clinics that ran concurrently with the series. This year, the tour is expected to feature 3000 golfers, 1000 juniors and 500 ladies.

The 2023 KCB East Africa Golf Tour winning squad

-Christine Riaroh

-Tabitha Ojwang

-Joyce Osike

-Griffins Owino