Local favourite Kibugu tees off MKO with four under par

The 22-year-old, who was the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing champion, birdied in a row on the back nine and finished with a birdie on the 18th to cap a strong opening round.

“I think it was a really good start. Got off to a hot start, birdied in a row, birdied 18,10, four under. I'm happy to finish with that birdie on the last and looking to carry it forward into the weekend," said Kibugu.

Scotland's David Law was second overall after an impressive seven under par on day one.

“It's an amazing tournament, and I would love to win. We've got three rounds to go, so I just need to focus on myself and keep going,” Law said.

At the top of the leaderboard, Sweden's Niklas Lemke set the pace with an eight-under-par round that included an eagle and six birdies.

With three rounds still to play, the tournament is shaping up to be a battle between international stars and Kenya's best, with Kibugu leading the home challenge as fans hope for a historic first local winner.

This year’s edition has attracted a strong field of 144 players from over 25 countries, with 12 players representing Kenya.