Indiza fires five-under 66 to lead Sunshine Development Tour at Thika Greens

Kakamega Sports Club professional Dismas Indiza took early control of the Absa Invitational, the ninth leg of the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing, after shooting an impressive five-under-par 66 in the opening round at Thika Greens Golf Resort on Wednesday, January 14.

Indiza got off to a flying start with an eagle on the second hole, followed by birdies on the fourth and sixth, going out bogey-free on the front nine.

On the back nine, he added birdies on 13 and 14, with only one dropped shot on the 11th, ensuring he finished atop the leaderboard.

“It was a good start for me today. The eagle early on really settled me and helped with confidence. I stayed patient, took the chances that came my way and managed my game well. The course is in good condition and there is still a lot of golf to be played, so the focus now is to keep the same approach over the next two rounds.”

Three players share second place on three-under par: Nyeri Golf Club’s Mutahi Kibugu, Limuru Country Club’s Taimur Malik, and Uganda’s Willy Deus. Kibugu’s round included birdies on holes one, four, ten, and thirteen, with a single bogey on the par-three 15th.

Commenting on ​his round, Mutahi said, “My form is good and I am playing really good golf at the moment. Towards the end of last year, I started winning some events and I have carried that confidence into this year. Tomorrow I just need to stick to my game plan, stay confident and not shy away from winning.”

Malik added birdies on the second, fifth, sixth, and 17th holes, while Deus said: “My round was okay, with a few mistakes here and there. The greens were a bit bumpy, but we all played in the same conditions. I left a few putts out there, but any time you finish under par, you take it. I struck the ball really well today and my ball striking was spot on, which was important for me.”

Joint fifth place on two-under par includes Muthaiga Golf Club’s Greg Snow, Zimbabwe’s Visitor Mapwanya, and Mohit Mediratta, while four players are tied for eighth on one-under par.

The Absa Invitational offers a total prize purse of Ksh.2 million, alongside Official World Golf Ranking points, World Amateur Golf Ranking points, and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points. These are crucial for players aiming for Sunshine Tour promotion and qualification for the 2026 Magical Kenya Open.

Round two of the tournament continues on Thursday, January 15, with the first group teeing off at 7:30am at Thika Greens Golf Resort. Fans can expect more exciting golf action as players battle for the top spots and early momentum in the East Africa Swing leg of the Sunshine Development Tour.