Sunshine Development Tour Heads to VetLab After Royal Event

The Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing now heads to the VetLab Sports Club from 3rd to 5th November 2025, where golfers from across Africa will compete for the KSh 2 million prize purse and valuable world ranking points.

This comes after the successful completion of the Johnnie Walker Classic this week at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club, where home player John Lejirma held his nerve in a tense playoff against pro Njoroge Kibugu to clinch his maiden title on the Tour, after coming close during the Ruiru Sports Club where he lost in yet another play-off against Dismas Indiza.

Lejirma, who came into the final round with a four-shot lead, saw that advantage erased as Kibugu mounted an impressive charge with a six-under-par 66 to force a playoff. Lejirma eventually sealed victory on the first sudden-death hole, finishing the tournament on 10-under-par.

As an amateur, Lejirma earned KSh 130,000 and 210 Order of Merit points for his victory, while Kibugu took home KSh 214,000 and 172 points for his runner-up finish. Uganda’s Tadeo Rodell Gaita and Kenya’s Dismas Indiza tied for third on 3-under-par, each earning KSh 123,000 and 99 points.

Speaking after the final round at Royal, Tour Commissioner Charles Gacheru commended the steady growth and rising competitiveness of the Tour:

“As we close this chapter here at Royal, our focus turns to the future. We head to VetLab Sports Club next month, from 3rd to 5th November 2025, where we expect to welcome golfers from across the African region as has become the norm with our Tour. This speaks to the incredible reception and support it has received across the continent.

The Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing continues to grow. With every event, we’re seeing stronger fields, greater competitiveness, and deeper regional collaboration.”

Gacheru added that the Tour has quickly evolved into a vital pathway for developing professional golf across Africa.

“The Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing has become a true showcase of regional talent and potential. This Tour is more than just a calendar of tournaments - it’s a pathway. A pathway for our golfers to earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, to qualify for higher-level tours such as the Sunshine Tour, and even to one day compete on the global stage, including the Olympic Games," noted Gacheru.

"Our mission remains clear: to develop, expose, and empower African golf talent, and to ensure that the next generation of golfers from East Africa can compete confidently anywhere in the world,” further averred Gacheru. 

The Johnnie Walker Classic was proudly sponsored by East African Breweries (EABL) through its Johnnie Walker brand, continuing the brand’s longstanding commitment to the growth of golf in the region.

Speaking during the event, Johnnie Walker Senior Shopper Manager, Duncan Onuonga, said:

“The Johnnie Walker Classic has once again demonstrated how the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing is transforming golf in our region, providing a professional platform that connects talent across borders, develops new champions, and shines a global spotlight on East African golf.

At Johnnie Walker, our commitment to golf runs deep. From supporting the DP World Tour’s Magical Kenya Open, to the Magical Kenya Ladies Open, and our very own Johnnie Walker Golf Series, we have been proud to walk alongside the game at every level.

This partnership with the Sunshine Development Tour builds on that legacy. It’s about investing in progress, giving African golfers the platform to earn world ranking points, gain international exposure, and one day compete on the biggest stages, including the Sunshine Tour, the DP World Tour, and even the Olympic Games.”