Sunshine Tour boss Abt hails Kibugu, Wafula for securing elite playing cards

Sunshine Tour Commissioner Thomas Abt has praised Kenyan professionals Njoroge Kibugu and Naomi Wafula for becoming the first East Africans to gain access to the Sunshine Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour via continental pathways. 

The duo secured historic playing cards on the Sunshine Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour after strong performances throughout the inaugural season of the Sunshine Development Tour—East Africa Swing. 

“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Kenyan professional golfers Njoroge Kibugu and Naom Wafula to the Sunshine Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour, respectively, next season. Njoroge earned his Sunshine Tour card through three wins in one season on the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing.

Noam will enter under a newly created African Affiliate category, which will allow her access to the Sunshine Ladies Tour. 

They have both made history as the first professionals gaining access through our continental pathways, pointing to the incredible work being achieved by our partners in Kenya through the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa,” Abt said while commenting on the feat by the two golfers. 

Njoroge won the Sunshine Development Tour legs at Thika Greens Golf Resort, Nyali Golf Club, and Vetlab Sports Club to earn his card, while Wafula earned her card to the Sunshine Ladies Tour after an outstanding season where she made seven out of eight cuts on the tour.

She is currently ranked eighteenth on the Order of Merit and is the highest-ranked female player on the tour. 

Currently, the 22-year-old Njoroge is ranked 1,612 on the Official World Golf Ranking, up 1,896 places from 3,508, where he was placed before the start of the current campaign. 

Further, Abt framed the development as a pivotal step in the tour's growth plans, noting that they look forward to seeing the Kenyan duo at the start of the new season. 

“We are particularly encouraged by the fact that his achievement is the first of many for East Africa, underpinning our vision of expanding professional golf across East Africa by providing a clear pathway for local and regional players to the global stage.

We are looking forward to seeing both Njoroge and Wafula on the tour next season, and indeed many other golfers from East Africa.” 

The trailblazing Wafula made history by becoming the first professional woman golfer in July this year, with her performance in the tour and beyond also earning her praise from the Kilifi County Governor, His Excellency Gideon Maitha Mung'aro, OGW. 

“On behalf of the entire Kilifi County, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Naom Wafula for making history as the first Kenyan lady to earn a card to play in a global golf tour. This remarkable achievement underscores Naom’s years of hard work.

Discipline and unwavering determination have culminated in her outstanding performance at the Sunshine Development Tour this year, the pathway through which she has secured a card to the Sunshine Ladies Tour of South Africa.

We will continue supporting her and we have confidence that she will fly Kenya’s flag high in South Africa,” Mung’garo said during the 2025 Governors Cup at Malindi Golf Club. 

The East Africa Swing will conclude its season with two more tournaments in January 2026. The first will be staged at Thika Greens Golf Resort, marking the ninth leg of the Tour, followed by the Grand Finale at the Karen Country Club, where the top 30 players from the Tour will compete against the top 30 players from South Africa’s Big Easy Tour.

The finalists will compete for promotion cards to the main Sunshine Tour for the 2026 season.