Shot in the arm as Sunshine Development Tour heads to Thika

The Sunshine Development Tour - East Africa Swing has received a major boost after Absa Bank Kenya announced a KSh.4 million sponsorship towards the ninth and 10th legs of the Tour.

In addition to this sponsorship, Absa is also setting aside an additional KSh.3 million investment for leverage, including customer engagements and activations. 

The two legs are scheduled to take place over the next two weeks at the Thika Greens Golf Club from January 14-16, and at Karen Country Club from January 19 to 21.

The sponsorship will go towards supporting tournament logistics and enhancing the prize money, with each of the two events offering a KSh 2 million purse. 

The investment will ensure that players continue to compete under professional conditions that meet global standards, while earning valuable Official World Golf Ranking points which are crucial for the advancement to major global tours as well as the Olympic Games.

Speaking during the sponsorship announcement, Absa Bank Kenya Head of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Charles Wokabi said the partnership reflects Absa Bank’s commitment in recognising and supporting potential early, while enabling progression both in sport and in life.

“At Absa, we see the story behind ambition, the discipline that it takes to move from promise to excellence. The Sunshine Development Tour offers Kenyan golfers a clear pathway to global stages such as the Magical Kenya Open Golf Tournament. Our support for these final two events is part of our promise to unlocking local talent at a pivotal moment, ensuring players have the right platforms to grow and compete,” said Wokabi.

He added that Absa’s involvement in sports like golf and athletics mirrors the Bank’s broader purpose in enabling progress for customers and communities.

"Progress is unlocked when communities have access to opportunities and the right partners to back them. Just like The Sunshine Development Tour represents progress for local professional golfers, at Absa Bank, we strive to unlock opportunities for our customers every single day,” he noted. 

The sponsorship comes at a critical stage of the Tour’s inaugural season, with the two tournaments concluding the Tour’s inaugural campaign which was launched last year. 

The Karen Country Club event will serve as the season finale, where the top 12 players on the combined East Africa Swing and South Africa’s Big Easy Tour Order of Merit will earn direct playing cards at the Sunshine Tour.

On his part, the Sunshine Development Tour – Peter Gacheru, CEO, IMG Kenya, welcomed the sponsorship, noting its importance in strengthening the Tour at a defining stage of the season.

“Absa’s support comes at a crucial moment for the Tour. These final two events are not just another set of tournaments, they represent the culmination of months of competition and the gateway to international opportunities for our players. Partnerships like this allow us to deliver tournaments at the right standard, reward performance fairly, and continue building a sustainable pathway for East African golfers,” said Gacheru.

He added that the Tour’s progress in its first season demonstrates the demand for structured professional competition in the region.

“The response from players, clubs and partners has shown that this Tour was long overdue. We are seeing golfers improve their world rankings, gain exposure, and compete with real purpose. Support from partners like Absa strengthens our vision of making East Africa a meaningful part of the global golf landscape,” he said.

The Thika Greens leg has attracted a strong and diverse field of 83 golfers drawn from 11 countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Malawi, Zimbabwe and the United States. 

Since its launch in 2025, the Sunshine Development Tour has been designed to address a longstanding gap in the regional golf ecosystem by providing regular, high quality competitive opportunities for professional golfers and elite amateurs.