By PHILLIP ORWA
Grishon Wainaina carded 35 points to emerge the Overall Winner as the NCBA Golf Series made its historic debut at Mt Kipipiri Golf & Resort during the club’s monthly mug tournament on Saturday.
Playing off handicap 24, Wainaina won the round to edge out Victor Kidiwa on Countback during the fifth leg of the 2026 series.
Kidiwa, handicap 19, also returned 35, to beat Patrick Githinji, playing off handicap 21, on Countback after he matched the leaders on 35 points to claim third place.
Handicap 43 Wambui Mwangi won the ladies’ category, after posting 30 points. The side prizes saw Benard Kiraithe, handicap 10, claim the First Nine award with 20 points, while Tonny Tugee, handicap 7, secured the Second Nine prize after carding 18 points.
The tournament attracted 80 golfers who gathered at the scenic Mt Kipipiri course in Nyandarua County, braving the cool highland conditions and the challenging layout of the relatively new course in pursuit of top honours and qualification opportunities to the NCBA Golf Series Grand Finale set for later in the year at Karen Country Club.
Speaking during the prize-giving ceremony, NCBA Nyahururu Branch Manager John Wachiuri described the tournament as a significant milestone for both the series and the host club.
“This is a special moment for us, not only because this is the first time the series is being played at this remarkable course, but also because it marks the fifth leg of the 2026 campaign.
Congratulations to our winners today. You have made history by being the first to qualify for the NCBA Golf Series Grand Finale from this club. Well done and all the best as you continue preparing for the finale that will be held in November at Karen Country Club.” He said
He noted that the bank remains committed to expanding the reach of the series while supporting the growth of golf across the country.
Wachiuri added “As NCBA, we are proud to continue expanding the footprint of this series across the country, bringing together communities, creating networking opportunities, and celebrating excellence on and off the course. Golf has been a key focus for us, and our commitment to the sport remains as strong as ever. Last month, our Pro Golfer, Njoroge Kibugu performed exceptionally well during the Magical Kenya Open and that shows why we continue supporting the sport at every level.
We want to inspire the junior golfers to be the next Njoroge’s while at the same time giving them opportunities to make a living out of golf. That is why we continue to walk hand in hand with the Junior Golf Foundation, the Kenya Golf Union, and the Professional Golfers of Kenya to strengthen the development of the sport at all levels and complete the golf cycle.”
The Mt Kipipiri outing marked the first time the NCBA Golf Series has been played at the course since the club opened its doors last year, reinforcing the bank’s commitment to supporting emerging golf destinations across the country.
The fifth leg follows successful outings earlier this season at Royal Nairobi Golf Club, Kericho Golf Club, Muthaiga Golf Club, and most recently Mombasa Golf Club, as golfers continue their quest for qualification to the season-ending Grand Finale.
