BY PHILLIP ORWA
Amateur Ali Wasim emerged the overall winner at the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing Qualifying School at Limuru Country Club on Friday.
Wasim carded a composed level-par 72 in the final round to finish the tournament at level-par 288, to secure a top spot on the leaderboard.
His final round featured birdies on the 6th, 9th, 15th and 17th holes, putting him in firm control heading into the closing stretch. A dramatic double-bogey on the 18th briefly threatened to undo his hard work, but the Kenyan amateur held on to seal a breakthrough victory and earn his place on the Sunshine Development Tour for the 2026/27 season.
“It feels amazing to come through and win this. It’s been a tough week with a lot of pressure, but I’m proud of how I handled myself. I stayed patient throughout the tournament and trusted my game, even when things got difficult.
The finish was a bit nervy, especially on the last hole, but that’s golf. The most important thing is that I stayed calm enough to get the job done. This means a lot to me because it’s a big step forward in my journey, and I’m excited for what lies ahead on the Tour.” Wasim said
Wasim’s victory came after he overcame a third-round setback that saw Limuru’s John Karichu briefly take over at the top of the leaderboard, setting up a tense final-day battle.
Karichu ultimately finished tied for second alongside American pro Andrew Procter at 2-over par 290.
Karichu, playing on home turf, battled hard throughout the final round but could only manage a single birdie on the 14th as he narrowly missed out on top spot.
Procter closed strongly with a composed final round that featured birdies on the 3rd, 6th, 15th and 16th holes, underlining his consistency across the week.
Elite amateur Sammy Mulama finished fourth on 8-over par 296, while Sujan Shah, William Odek and Isaac Wanyeche shared fifth place on 13-over par 301.
The Qualifying School attracted 55 players from across African countries and beyond, marking a strong start to the 2026/27 Sunshine Development Tour season and underscoring the growing appeal of the Tour as a pathway for emerging talent.
With the East Africa Qualifying School now concluded, attention turns to the West Africa edition, set for April 13–15 at Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate in Lagos, Nigeria, where another crop of players will battle for Sunshine Development Tour status.
The focus will then shift to the opening tournament of the 2026/27 season at Thika Sports Club from April 19th to 21st, as the race officially begins for Order of Merit points, world ranking opportunities, and progression to the Sunshine Tour.
