A gripping display of skill and precision saw 12-year-old Kanana Muthomi steal the spotlight at the NCBA Inter-Schools Golf Tournament at Windsor Golf and Country Club, where she posted an impressive two-under-par 70.

Competing under the Home Schooling banner, Kanana played a key role in securing her team’s victory in the 11-14 years category, alongside teammates Jeremie Maina, Aahill Jivanjee and Jeff Kivi.

Her round began cautiously as she navigated the first nine holes with patience, maintaining a steady level par through the first five.

A birdie on hole 15 gave her momentum, but a bogey on the next hole wiped out her gain. She closed the front nine with a 36.

The second half of her round saw a remarkable shift in approach, as she opened with a birdie, steadied her game on the second hole, and landed an eagle on the third.

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Another birdie at the fifth hole, coupled with only two bogeys, ensured she signed off with a final score of 34 on the back nine.

Reflecting on her performance, Kanana revealed she made strategic adjustments midway through her round.

“First nine I had like a really slow start, I was trying to play safe then I realized it was not working, so in the second nine I decided to be more aggressive and it worked,” she explained.

However, she noted that course conditions presented their own challenges.

“It was quite tough, the greens weren’t in great condition and I had a lot of birdie putts, and a lot of them leapt out,” she added.

Jeff Kivi, another key player for the Home Schooling team, delivered a score of 77, carding 38 on the front nine and 39 on the back.

He admitted to struggling with certain shots but managed to adjust as the game progressed.

“The course was playing well, I just made a few mistakes in the putting, but that’s normal. In the first nine, I made a lot of mistakes with my second shots approaching the green, I had a hard time doing those. but on the second nine, I tried to improve on them,” he said.

The Home Schooling team triumphed in the 11-14 years category, finishing with 232 points, ahead of Rosslyn Academy (241) and Kenton College (243).

They also dominated the 15-18 years category with 245 points, outpacing Braeburn Garden Estate (263) and Peponi School (267).

Meanwhile, in the 10 years and under category, St. Ruth School took top honours with 127 points, just three ahead of MLC Schools, with Kenton College rounding off the top three.

The Junior Golf Foundation president highlighted the tournament’s growth, stating, “This year we have recorded growth in terms of the schools that have participated from 19 schools to 20 schools and in the number of participants from 135 to 151. It is our desire that we grow the numbers every year and ultimately have these type of competitions throughout the year.”

He also underscored the sport’s broader significance, saying, “Golf is good as a sport because of the obvious benefits it has from a health and wellness point of view. But it is also a game of life that teaches us how to handle success or failure and how to relate with others. It is a game that can be played into your old age. Our target is to have some of our junior players participate at the PGA events or even the 2027 Olympics and so the sky is the limit for those who want to play at the highest level.”

With young talents like Kanana Muthomi leading the charge, the future of junior golf in the country appears brighter than ever.