By Mandere Onyinkwa
Fresh from his victory at the NCBA Kabete Open, Nakuru Golf Club’s John Kamaisi will be chasing a second consecutive title when the NCBA Coast Open, popularly known as the Barry Cup, tees off at Mombasa Golf Club from July 3 to 5.
Kamaisi headlines a strong field of 65 golfers in one of the marquee events on the NCBA Golf Series calendar.
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He will face stiff competition from top players including Elvis Muigua, William Odek, Amos Odongo and Adel Taufiq Balala.
Nyali Golf & Country Club’s Mary Kandu leads the women’s field, which also features Naomi Kikulu, Janet Ouma, Grace Kwamboka and Prisca Jebet.
The Nakuru golfer arrives at the Coast in impressive form after claiming the NCBA Kabete Open last weekend. Kamaisi carded a final-round one-over-par 73 to finish on a three-over-par total of 219, having opened with rounds of 74 and 72.
His consistency saw him lead from the first round and fend off a field of 130 golfers drawn from across East Africa.
The victory followed his earlier triumph at the NCBA Kiambu Open and propelled him to the top of the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) Order of Merit standings with 736 points after 13 events. Muthaiga Golf Club’s Jay Sandhu now sits second on 630 points.
Away from Mombasa, golfers will also be battling for places in the NCBA Golf Series Grand Finale during the Kitale Golf Club Monthly Mug, a mini-qualifier event scheduled for this weekend.
The Grand Finale will be held at Karen Country Club on November 28, with slots available for the Overall Gross Winner, Men’s Gross Winner, Lady Gross Winner, Division Two Men’s Winner, Division Two Lady Winner, Division Three Winner and the leading Junior.
Meanwhile, the fourth leg of the 2026 PGK Equator Tour got underway at Nyali Golf & Country Club on Thursday and will run until Sunday.
Njoroge Kibugu leads the NCBA-backed team, which also includes Edwin Mudanyi, Eric Ooko and Abraham Galgalo.
NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora said the bank remains committed to nurturing golf talent across all levels.
“We remain committed to supporting amateur golf because we believe in building the full sporting journey, from emerging talent to elite competition. The Barry Cup and the broader NCBA Golf Series are important platforms for developing players before they transition to the professional level,” said Gachora.
“Our focus is on strengthening the entire golf ecosystem, from juniors and amateurs to professionals, while also leaving a positive impact on communities.”
Beyond competition, NCBA will support several community initiatives this week, including the Golf Hotties Charity Golf Tournament at Sigona Golf Club, the New Life Home Trust Charity Golf Tournament and the St Raphael Charity Golf Tournament at VetLab Sports Club, all scheduled for July 3.
