By PHILLIP ORWA
The battle for the Kabete Challenge title, the third leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, intensified after round two at VetLab Sports Club, with three players tied at the top of the leaderboard on 1-under par 143 heading into Tuesday’s final round.
The trio comprised Michael Karanga of Ndumberi Golf Club, veteran professional Dismas Indiza, and Karen Country Club’s Edwin Mudanyi, setting the stage for an exciting battle for the title and a share of the Sh1.5 million prize purse.
Karanga, who continues to impress in his debut season as a professional, carded a second-round score of 1-under par 71, with his round featuring birdies on holes 2, 7, 9, 14 and 17. While he dropped shots on 8, 10, 11 and 16, he settled for a share of the lead.
“I’m happy to be in contention heading into the final round. The course is demanding, but I’ve stayed patient and trusted my game. Tomorrow will be about keeping the same mindset and giving myself a chance down the stretch,” said Karanga after his round.
Kakamega pro Indiza produced one of the day’s best rounds, returning a 3-under par 69 to erase the deficit from his opening-round 74 and move into contention. The veteran’s scorecard featured birdies on the 3rd, 7th, 9th, 15th and 16th holes, with his only blemishes coming on the 5th and 14th.
Commenting on his round, he said: “I played much better today and managed to capitalise on a few opportunities. It’s always good to be in the mix going into the final day, and I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead.”
Mudanyi also worked his way into a share of the lead after carding 1-under par 71. His round included birdies on the 7th, 8th and 11th holes, while bogeys on the 2nd and 17th prevented him from taking sole possession of top spot.
Mudanyi said: “It was a solid day overall. I kept myself in position and remained patient when things got tough. The leaderboard is very close, so I’ll focus on playing my game and seeing where it takes me tomorrow.”
Just one shot behind the leaders on level-par 144 is a two-way tie featuring VetLab’s own Robinson Owiti and Nyali Golf & Country Club amateur Adel Balala.
Owiti carded a round of 1-under par 71, while Balala battled to a level-par round to remain firmly in the hunt for the title.
Tied for sixth place on 1-over par 145 are Samuel Njoroge Chege and Taimur Malik, while the Nigerian duo of Godwin Okoko and Sunday Olapade share eighth position on 2-over par 146.
A total of 30 players and ties made the cut and will return for the final round on Tuesday, where they will battle not only for the trophy and prize money, but also for valuable Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points.
With just a single shot separating the leaders from the chasing pack, the Kabete Challenge is poised for a dramatic finish as players seek to claim the third title of the 2026/27 Sunshine Development Tour season.
