Inaugural East Africa Junior Golf Rankings Tees Off at Windsor

The East Africa Junior Golf Rankings (EAJGR) officially teed off its inaugural tournament today at Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club, marking the formal start of the first-ever regional junior golf ranking system dedicated to junior golfers in East Africa. The program was formally launched by the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Larry Ngala.

A total of 25 junior golfers aged between 6 and 18 years participated in today’s opening 18-hole round. The players were drawn from Marurui Primary & Junior School, Nova Pioneer School, Tatu City, and St. Ruth’s School, Limuru. The second and final round will be played tomorrow, Saturday 17 January 2026, at Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club, with the top three players in each age category set to receive awards.

Several strong performances highlighted the opening day. In the Boys Under-10 category, Hakeem Mutungi of St. Ruth’s School returned an outstanding level-par 72 gross to lead the field, with Warren Waihenya of Nova Pioneer posting 89 gross.

In the Girls Under-10 category, Zara Mutungi of St. Ruth’s School led with a 102 gross, followed by Kourtney Lenne of Marurui Primary School. Category leaders after round one also include James Mwangi of Marurui Primary School in the Boys Under-18, Abigael Ayuma of Marurui Primary School in the Girls Under-14, and Jayden Lucas of Nova Pioneer in the Boys Under-12.

Speaking at the launch, the Tournament Commissioner Maria Aloo said, “The East Africa Junior Golf Rankings is the first regional system designed specifically for junior golfers under 19. The EAJGR creates a structured pathway by recording performance across four age groups and generating annual rankings through participation in a minimum of six ranked tournaments.”

She added, “Schools are central to this vision. By bringing together public and private institutions, the EAJGR bridges social and economic divides and provides equal access to quality training, facilities, and competition.

We are grateful to Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club for leading the way by adopting Marurui Primary & Junior School, and we encourage golf clubs across the region to adopt at least one school within their vicinity as a sustainable model for talent identification and development.”

With the final round scheduled for tomorrow at Windsor, the inaugural EAJGR tournament represents a foundational step toward building an inclusive, credible, and performance-driven junior golf ecosystem in East Africa, with the long-term goal of producing players capable of succeeding at elite international levels and securing global scholarship opportunities.