Sunshine Development Tour gets boost ahead of sixth leg
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 03.10.25. | 14:26
Its Royal Golf Club event will attract over 100 golfers from Africa and beyond
East Africa Breweries Limited’s premium spirits brand, Johnnie Walker, has committed to support the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, taking up title naming rights for this sixth leg of the Tour which will be held at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club on 13-15 October.
The sponsorship comes at a time when the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing is gaining strong momentum, attracting golfers from across the continent and beyond and providing them with the chance to earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and World Amateur Golf Ranking points. This makes it one of the most important golf platforms ever created for East African players.
Johnnie Walker has a long history of supporting golf, having been part of events such as the Magical Kenya Open, the Magical Kenya Ladies Open, and the Johnnie Walker Golf Series.
Speaking while presenting the sponsorship, Jean Okech, Head of Marketing Spirits at EABL, said the brand was proud to back the Tour as it aligns with its wider objectives.
"Johnnie Walker has always found a natural home in golf because the sport attracts a community of like-minded individuals who appreciate craft, resilience, and progress, values that also define our brand," Okech said.
"Through this sponsorship, we want to continue creating meaningful spaces where our consumers can interact with our brand, while also opening doors for talent across the region.
On his part, Charles Gacheru, Promoter of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, welcomed the sponsorship, saying: “This support from Johnnie Walker is a major boost not just for the Tour but for golf in East Africa.
It shows the confidence that a global brand has in our vision to build a pathway for local golfers to reach major events such as the Sunshine Tour and even the Olympics. With Johnnie Walker’s partnership, we are making golf more competitive, more inclusive, and more visible across the continent.”
The Royal Nairobi Golf Club event, taking place from 13th to 15 October, will welcome a field of over 100 golfers from across Africa and beyond.
The tournament will be played over 54 holes, with a cut set for the top 30 and ties after round two.
Players will be competing not only for the Two million shillings prize money but also for crucial global ranking points on the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, which count towards progression into larger global tournaments.
The Tour, which teed off in March 2025 with the Q-School, has already hosted successful events in Kenya’s Thika, Ruiru, Nyali, and Diani, as well as Rwanda’s Kigali Golf Resort & Villas.
It continues to attract growing fields of both male and female, professional and elite amateur golfers from across Africa, making it a unique platform for talent development in the region.
