The NCBA Kenya Invitational Junior Tournament is scheduled to take place this weekend, running from Friday to Sunday at the Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club Organized by U.S.
Kids Golf in collaboration with the Junior Golf Foundation and sponsored by NCBA Bank, the tournament bring together over 120 junior golfers from Kenya and various parts of the world, including Argentina, Austria, Belgium, China, Ghana, India, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
The event provides young golfers with an opportunity to engage in a multi-day championship and secure U.S. Kids Golf Priority Status. This status, earned at different levels during the tournament, allows players to qualify for other U.S.
Kids Golf Major Championships, including Regional, International, and World Teen Championships. The Priority Status earned from this event will be valid from March 1, 2024, through February 28, 2025.
In addition to U.S. Kids Golf Priority Status, the tournament will also serve as a qualifying event for the World Amateur Golf Ranking for Boys and Girls aged 15–18. The competition is structured into age groups, with each category playing from age-specific yardages. Boys’ Age Groups include 6 and Under, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13–14, and 15–18, while Girls’ Age Groups encompass 8 and Under, 9–10, 11–12, 13–14, and 15–18.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba presided over the opening ceremony of the tournament as the Chief Guest at Windsor. He highlighted the importance of sports in shaping youth by fostering discipline and creating pathways for talent development.
Namwamba commended the commitment of U.S. Kids Golf, the Junior Golf Foundation Kenya, and the support from NCBA Group, emphasizing the pivotal role of partnerships in providing platforms for young golfers to showcase their skills and build a foundation for future success.
NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora expressed the bank’s dedication to nurturing and supporting the growth of junior golf, noting their investment of 7 million Kenyan Shillings towards golf development in partnership with JGF. Gachora highlighted the growth of the game, with over 785 junior golfers participating in the preceding 22 tournaments of the local tour in 2023.
Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) Kenya President Regina Gachora emphasized the tournament as an opportunity for junior golfers to sharpen their skills through friendly competition. She praised NCBA Bank for their consistent support of various junior tournaments, expressing gratitude for their commitment to the development of junior golf.