KCB Bank has unveiled its inaugural East Africa golf tour that is expected to cover 12 counties in Kenya as well as 6 countries in the East African region.
The 8-month long KCB East Africa Golf Tour will consist of an 18-leg amateur series in Kenya, while Tanzania and Uganda will field two series each while the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi will host one tournament each.
The entry into the East African nations will give a chance to regional golf enthusiasts to take part in the tournaments that will also be open to professionals, amateurs and juniors.
KCB injected Sh60 million into the tourney and has over the years spent more than Sh300 million on golf tournament sponsorships to grow talent and allow golfers to compete locally and regionally.
The Kenya legs of the tournament will be played at Vetlab Sports Club, Eldoret Golf Club, Limuru Golf Club, Railway Golf Club, Kakamega Golf Club, Nyanza Golf Club, Thika Sports Club, Nyeri Golf Club, Nakuru Golf Club, Kericho Golf Club, Great Rift Valley Lodge, Kitale Golf Club, Machakos Golf Club, Sigona Golf Club, Nyali Golf Club, Nandi Bears Golf Club and Karen Country Club.
Read More
The winning golfers from each club will meet at Karen Country and Golf Club for the grand finale in November 2023 where 200 golfers from 40 teams across East Africa will clash at the Pro-Am event.
“We have a rich history and connection with the game of golf over the years and we have been instrumental in creating opportunities for hundreds of golfers, enabling them to hone their skills and eke a living out of it,” said KCB Group Human Resources Director, Japheth Achola.
He added, “We believe that golf has evolved tremendously, and it is now time for the sport to thrive beyond our borders. We look forward to providing junior golfers, women, and amateurs with an opportunity to showcase their skills and be part of the history makers.”
The amateur golf tournaments by KCB will be played on Saturdays while handicapped Junior golfers will be played concurrently with the amateurs throughout the tour.
The Junior clinics will be held on Sundays while the women clinics powered by Female Led and Made Enterprises (FLME) will be hosted on Fridays.
“With the KCB East Africa Golf Tour, we are looking at creating memorable connections as well as sharpening our skills with a long-term goal of demystifying the game of golf,” said KCB Group Human Resources Director Japheth Achola.
He added, “We want to ensure that even as we enjoy ourselves at the different amazing courses, we also take care of our environment which has become an important conversation across the world,” Japheth added.
Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts CS Ababu Namwamba lauded KCB Bank for its 30-year support to sports in Kenya saying it has built careers and positioning Kenya as a regional and global sports hub.
“The government recognizes the support that corporates continue to offer to the country’s sporting disciplines,” said Namwamba.
He added, “For KCB Bank, we are proud to be associated with you because through your involvement, we have been able to position sports as a bridge across social and economic gaps, giving the participants an opportunity to improve their quality of life as well as grow the sports infrastructure across the country.”