Shawn Malesi of Royal Nairobi Golf Club and Maryam Mwakitawa of Sigona Golf Club emerged as the overall champions of the second edition of the NCBA Mt Kenya Junior Open, which concluded on Sunday, 8th November 2026 at Nyeri Club following three days of competitive junior golf.
Malesi, 15, secured the boys’ overall title after carding a final-round 77 to finish with a three-round total of 219, three-over-par.
His victory also earns him a World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) ranking, marking an important milestone in his junior golf career.
The Royal Nairobi golfer expressed his excitement at winning the championship and securing his first WAGR ranking, crediting the achievement as motivation to participate more actively in junior golf tournaments and continue developing his game.
In the girls’ competition, Maryam Mwakitawa of Sigona Golf Club claimed the overall title with a final-round 79, bringing her three-round total to 241, 25-over-par.
She appreciated her playing partners for pushing her throughout the competition and thanked her parents for their continued support and encouragement.
The championship also produced winners across several age categories, reflecting the depth of junior golf talent participating in the event.
In the boys’ 19–21 years category, Fanuel Yebeltal of Royal Nairobi Golf Club emerged victorious, while Rohini Shah of Vet Lab Sports Club won the girls’ 16–21 years category.
Yuvraj Singh Rajput of Sigona Golf Club claimed the boys’ 16–18 years title, while Justin Ngeera of Vet Lab Sports Club won the boys’ 14–15 years category.
In the girls’ 15 years and under category, Britney Nyanchera of Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club took top honours, while Ishaan Patel of Sigona Golf Club won the boys’ 13 years and under category.
During the subsidiary competition, James Nderitu and Grace Joy Gacheru, both representing Nyeri Club, emerged as the boys’ and girls’ winners respectively.
Speaking at the prize-giving ceremony, Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) Mt Kenya Regional Representative Baldev Singh thanked the participating juniors and their parents for supporting the championship, encouraging them to remain active in competitive golf and continue taking advantage of opportunities offered through the regional tournament series.
“I would like to thank all the junior golfers and parents who came out to support and participate in this championship. Your commitment and participation are important in growing junior golf in the region. I encourage all the players to keep competing, continue working on their games and take advantage of the opportunities available through the Junior Golf Foundation. We look forward to seeing many of you at the next tournament in Kitale for the NCBA North Rift Junior Open,” said Singh.
Nyeri Club Chairman Nyaga Nderitu welcomed the successful staging of the second edition of the championship and reaffirmed the club’s commitment to supporting junior golf development.
“We are happy to host the second edition of the NCBA Mt. Kenya Junior Open. We hope that all juniors enjoyed the course. We will continue supporting junior programs and ensure that our juniors develop and compete actively in the series,” said Nderitu.
The second edition attracted 56 junior golfers and formed part of the Junior Golf Foundation’s November regional World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR)-ranked championship series.
The initiative is aimed at expanding access to competitive golf, identifying emerging talent and providing young golfers with opportunities to earn ranking points and gain valuable tournament experience across different regions.
The regional series now moves to Kitale Club for the 3rd NCBA North Rift Junior Open scheduled for 13th–15th November 2026, before concluding the November calendar with the 3rd NCBA Central Rift Junior Open from 27th–29th November 2026.
The championships underscore the Junior Golf Foundation’s continued commitment, with the support of NCBA Bank, to decentralising junior golf development and creating more opportunities for young golfers across the country to access quality training, compete at a high level and progress within the sport.
