12-year-old Kanana Muthomi stuns strong field to win 2025 Muthaiga Ladies Open
Reading Time: 4min | Tue. 10.06.25. | 15:19
The event brought together 200 of the country’s top amateur female golfers and remains one of the most competitive stops on the ladies’ circuit, contributing to Golfer of the Year (GOTY) ranking points
Fast-rising golf star Kanana Muthomi, 12, is elated after defeating a strong field of elite female amateur golfers to claim the 2025 Muthaiga Ladies Open title on Sunday.
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She carded an impressive 2-under-par 69 to emerge as the winner, describing it as a significant victory and attributing her strong performance to her ball striking and course management.
“Winning this event means a lot to me. It’s one of the biggest on the calendar and attracts a high-quality field. I kept things simple,” said Kanana after receiving the winner’s trophy.
“I didn’t force shots, and when I had birdie chances, I took them. I’ve been working on my mid-irons, which helped today, especially on holes 10 and 11, where I hit it close,” she added.
The tournament, held at the par-71 Muthaiga Golf Club and hosted under the auspices of the Kenya Ladies Golf Union, was sponsored by NCBA Insurance as part of NCBA Group’s broader commitment to supporting women’s sports and growing golf in Kenya through its Change the Story sustainability agenda.
The event brought together 200 of the country’s top amateur female golfers and remains one of the most competitive stops on the ladies’ circuit, contributing to Golfer of the Year (GOTY) ranking points.
Kanana, an early starter, took advantage of calm morning conditions to post the round of the day.
Representing Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club, she kept her scorecard clean for most of the round, carding birdies on holes 4, 10, 11, and 17, with only two bogeys on holes 7 and 12.
She parred the remaining twelve holes, displaying steady form to finish at two-under-par 69, the only under-par score in the field.
She finished four strokes ahead of Joyce Njuguini and Mercy Nyanchama, who both scored 73 (+2) to tie for second place.
Njuguini started strong with a birdie on the par-4 3rd but struggled with bogeys on holes 2, 7, and 9, disrupting her front-nine rhythm. Her back nine saw further bogeys on holes 14 and 16, but she recovered with birdies on 17 and 18 to pull ahead of the chasing group.
“I gave myself some work to do after the front nine,” Njuguini said. “But I fought hard to recover. The birdies at 17 and 18 helped end the round on a high note.
There’s still work to do on course management, but overall, I’m happy with how I closed.”
Nyanchama played a more conservative round, making birdies on holes 12 and 18 while limiting errors. However, bogeys on holes 5, 8, 11, and 14 pushed her to two over for the day.
She remained consistent through the middle stretch and showed resilience after her bogey on 14, closing with par-par-birdie.
“My strategy was to stay level-headed and aim for pars where possible,” said Nyanchama. “I struggled a bit around the turn, but I stayed calm. I’m especially happy with how I played the last two holes, where I managed birdies.”
Kellie Gachaga, who tied for fourth place, posted a 75 (+4) after a roller-coaster round. Her front nine included a double bogey on the par-5 7th and bogeys on holes 2, 3, 6, and 9, resulting in a 42.
She rebounded impressively on the back nine with birdies on holes 13, 14, 15, and 18, alongside bogeys on 10 and 12, to score a 33—the best back nine among the top five.
Speaking at the event, NCBA Insurance Managing Director Stella Njunge said: “At NCBA, we believe that sport, especially golf, reflects many of the values that define who we are.
We are proud to support platforms that advance women in sport as part of NCBA Group’s Change the Story sustainability agenda. The Muthaiga Ladies Open is a shining example of how far the women’s game has come in Kenya, and we’re honored to contribute to that progress.”
“As insurers, we also want to play a role in safeguarding the ambitions of individuals by offering services designed for people who pursue excellence on and off the course, and we are here to support them,” she added.
