John Lejirma off to a flyer at Sunshine Development Tour
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Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 09.06.25. | 22:00
Round Two tees off tomorrow at Ruiru Sports Club, with players jostling to make the top-30 cut for Wednesday’s final round
Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s John Lejirma stormed to the top of the leaderboard with a brilliant 6-under par 66 on Day One of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing at Ruiru Sports Club.
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The elite amateur was in superb form, mixing precision with composure across 18 holes.
He opened his round with birdies on the 2nd, 8th, and 9th, his only blemish on the front nine being a bogey at the par-3 6th.
He turned up the heat on the back nine, firing birdies on the 10th, 13th, 14th, 17th, and 18th.
A bogey on the 12th barely disrupted the momentum as Lejirma closed with a commanding lead heading into Round Two.
"I’m really pleased with how I held it together out there,” said Lejirma.
“The front nine was smooth, my putting was hot, and I gave myself good chances. The back nine slowed a bit, but I regrouped and finished strong.
Each tournament is a lesson. I’ve come second and fourth in the last two, and I’m building on those.”
Ndumberi Golf Club’s Michael Karanga carded a solid 2-under par 70 to sit second.
He picked up birdies on the 8th, 9th, and 13th, with a lone bogey on the 18th keeping him two strokes off the lead.
Tied in third on 1-under 71 are Dismas Indiza of Kakamega Golf Club and Njoroge Kibugu of Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club.
Indiza shrugged off an opening bogey to birdie the 3rd, 8th, and 9th, before adding two more on the 13th and 18th.
Bogeys on the 10th and 16th kept him from going lower.
“The course is playing well,” said Indiza. “There’s scoring opportunity out there. I’ll make a few adjustments tomorrow.”
Kibugu, fresh off victory at the Thika Greens leg, had a rollercoaster round with birdies on the 6th, 9th, 10th, and 11th.
Errors on the 3rd, 7th, 15th, and 16th left him with work to do on Day Two.
A crowded pack sits tied for fifth on level par 72, including Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera, Ken Abuto, Abraham Ainamani, Isaac Makokha, Elvis Muigua, Samuel Njoroge, Rafael Leming'ani, and Nuru Mollel.
In the women’s category, Naomi Wafula of Vipingo Ridge led the field with a gritty 1-over par 73.
She birdied the 2nd, 5th, and 9th but was pegged back by a triple bogey on the 7th.
On the back nine, she rebounded with birdies on the 13th, 14th, and 17th, balanced against bogeys at the 12th and 18th.
“I’m happy with how I played despite the triple bogey,” Wafula said. “I bounced back well, and that gives me confidence for tomorrow. I know I can shoot under par."
Meanwhile, the round saw a historic moment as Eugine Wafula of Muthaiga Golf Club registered the first-ever hole-in-one in Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing history, acing the 11th hole to the delight of fans and players.
Round Two tees off tomorrow at Ruiru Sports Club, with players jostling to make the top-30 cut for Wednesday’s final round.
At stake is a Ksh2 million prize purse, with crucial points also up for grabs on the developmental circuit.
