By KPC Sports Reporter
Nyali Golf & Country Club professional Daniel Nduva produced a sensational back-nine comeback to claim the NCBA Royal Classic title, the second leg of the 2026 Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, at Royal Nairobi Golf Club.
Nduva, who started the final round tied for second, carded a level-par 72 to finish the tournament on 3-under-par 213, securing his maiden Sunshine Development Tour title and the winner’s cheque of KES 400,000 from the tournament’s KES 2 million prize purse.
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The victory appeared unlikely midway through the final round after a difficult front nine. Nduva dropped shots on the 1st and 8th holes and suffered a costly double-bogey on the 7th, leaving him well off the pace.
However, the coastal golfer responded in spectacular fashion on the inward nine, rolling in birdies on the 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 17th holes to surge up the leaderboard and seal a memorable victory.
“It feels really good to get this win. The front nine was challenging and I had a few unlucky breaks, but I stayed patient and kept believing in my game,” said Nduva.
“On the back nine, I hit every fairway and every green, and that gave me the confidence to attack the pins and create birdie opportunities.”
He attributed his success largely to his performance off the tee.
“My driving was probably the strongest part of my game today. When you’re hitting the driver well, it gives you confidence throughout the rest of your game. I managed to make five birdies on the back nine and that ultimately made the difference.”
The win was particularly meaningful after an injury-disrupted campaign last year.
“Last year I struggled with injury, so to come back and win again means a lot to me. This victory is a reminder that golf is about staying patient, fighting through the difficult moments and believing in yourself even when things are not going your way,” he added.
In addition to the KES 400,000 winner’s prize, Nduva also earned valuable Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points.
The battle for the title remained fiercely contested throughout the final round, with six players eventually sharing second place on 1-under-par 215.
The group included Kenya’s John Lejirma, David Wakhu, Greg Snow and amateur Adel Balala, Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera, and Nigeria’s Sunday Olapade, who had begun the day as the overnight leader. Each player earned KES 114,833 from the prize fund.
Snow expressed satisfaction with his week’s performance despite narrowly missing out on the title.
“I’m pleased with the way I fought throughout the week. Royal Nairobi is always a demanding course and you have to stay patient because opportunities can come at any time. I gave myself chances, but a few shots here and there made the difference. Finishing tied for second is still a positive result and gives me confidence heading into the next events.”
Lejirma, continuing his impressive transition into the professional ranks, remained upbeat.
“It was a solid week overall. There are definitely positives I can take from my game, even though I would have loved to get over the line. The competition was very strong and it came down to small margins. As a new professional, every tournament is an opportunity to learn, improve and continue building momentum for the season.”
Balala, the leading amateur in contention, welcomed the experience of competing alongside seasoned professionals.
“It’s encouraging to be in contention against such a strong professional field. I learned a lot over the three days, especially about managing pressure when you’re near the top of the leaderboard. I’ll take the lessons from this week and continue working hard on my game.”
For Olapade, the final round did not unfold as planned after entering the day atop the leaderboard.
“It was a tough final round and unfortunately I couldn’t maintain the momentum from yesterday, but that’s golf. The competition was excellent and I enjoyed the challenge. I’ll take the positives from the week and continue working hard as the season progresses.”
The NCBA Royal Classic attracted a strong field of 96 local and international professionals and amateurs from across Africa and beyond, all competing for OWGR, World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points.
The event was the second stop of the 2026/27 Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing season, following the opening leg at Thika Sports Club, won by Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera.
Attention now turns to the next leg of the tour at VetLab Sports Club from June 14-16, where players will continue their quest for Sunshine Tour progression opportunities and crucial Order of Merit points in what is shaping up to be a highly competitive season.
