By KPC Sports Reporter
Windsor Golf and Country Club professional Njoroge Kibugu surged into the lead after the opening round of the Absa Invitational Series, carding a superb 6-under par 64 at Karen Country Club on Monday.
Kibugu, competing in the final leg of the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing, mixed precision with resilience on the par-70 course.
He picked up three birdies on the front nine but dropped shots on the 6th and 8th holes.
Despite further bogeys on the 11th and 13th on the back nine, strong finishes with birdies on the 16th and 17th saw him claim the outright lead.
“It was pretty alright today, smooth sailing,” Kibugu said after his round. “I had two bogeys on the card but finishing at six under, I am happy. The course played quite well. The greens are not the smoothest, but I’ll take the score.”
Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera sits second on the leaderboard at 5-under par after an eventful round that included eight birdies, a bogey and a double bogey. Nsanzuwera said his focus remains on the bigger prize as the season concludes.
“Finishing five under is a good start,” he said. “I really want to win the overall title because it would be my third win on the tour, and winning the final event would mean earning a Sunshine Tour card.”
Third place is shared by Isaiah Otuke and Johnny Limb on 3-under par. Otuke recorded eight birdies but was undone by five bogeys, while Limb enjoyed a steadier round highlighted by his familiarity with the Karen layout.
“It feels more comfortable playing at home,” Limb said. “I have played here since I was a kid, so I know my way around and felt confident coming into this tournament.”
A tightly packed chasing group sits just a shot further back on 2-under par, including Daniel Nduva, Mike Kisia, Kenneth Bollo, Uganda’s Otile Ronald and Nigeria’s Kamalo Bako.
The Absa Invitational Series carries a total prize purse of Ksh 2 million and offers Official World Golf Ranking points as well as Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points, which are key in determining qualification for the Sunshine Development Tour Africa Championship and potential Sunshine Tour membership.