Kenya's Ngechu shines in girl's category as Gicheru shines in the boys category

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Team Kenya is looking forward to the World Junior Championship in Japan after booking a ticket to the global event on Thursday.

The Kenyans finished runners-up to South Africa in the third and final round of the 2026 All Africa Junior Team Championship held at the Par-72 Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club in Nairobi.

South Africa once again dominated the Junior Teams Championship after winning both boys and girls competition.

South Africa boys represented by Andries Van Der Vyver, Cilliers Craig, Dewan De Bruin and Roelof Craigled managed to get a combined score of 22 under while their girls team managed to score 14 under.

Kenyan boys managed to get a combined score of +13, while the girls team managed to get a score of +5.

South Africa’s Van Der Vyver finished the competition as the best player on 15 under par 201 after a final day score of four under par 72.

Royal Nairobi Club’s Junior Mwathi Gicheru registered the best score for Team Kenya boys, managing an overall score of one over after sinking a birdie on hole 18.

Gicheru attributed the success to the nine-month training camp the team held before the tournament.

“The camp was huge. We practiced at a high level with top coaches, and that is what helped us get to where we are now. I am so happy with my achievement today,” said Gicheru.

Bianca Ngechu had the best score for the Kenyan girls on five over.

Team Kenya manager Vincent Mukiri expressed his pride in the team’s performance.

He explained that the camp was made up of players selected from the order of merit, who then trained intensively for nine months.

The team comprises four girls and four boys.

“We have had a very strong performance. Before we came here, we agreed as a team to set both individual and collective goals. Individual goals were what each player wanted to achieve, while team goals were what we wanted to accomplish as a country.

“The boys will travel to Tokyo, Japan, for the World Cup. For the girls, we still don’t have a provision for them to participate, but we are lobbying with relevant bodies to ensure girls are included in these programs because women’s golf is growing in Africa,” Mukiri.

South Africa team manager Thinus Labuschagne said he was shocked by Kenya’s performance.

“I’m getting goosebumps; I can say it was unreal. We are extremely proud of Kenya. What they did this week is history. Kenya has incredible players, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do in the future,” he said.

The World Junior Championship will be held in Nagoya, Japan in June.