Sunshine Development Tour: Lejirma Takes Round One Lead At East Africa Swing Q-School Tourney

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 1 – Kenya Railways’ elite amateur golfer John Lejirma fired an impressive 3-under par 68 to claim the first-round lead at the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing Qualifying School (Q-School) tournament. The event is being played at the par-71 Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha, Kenya.

Lejirma’s Strong Performance

The rising star began his round on the back nine, carding a solid 1-under 35 through his first nine holes. His momentum continued with back-to-back birdies at the par-4 first and second holes, before suffering his only bogey of the day at the par-4 fifth. Lejirma finished strong with a birdie at the eighth to secure his clubhouse lead.

“This is a huge opportunity, especially as an amateur. It’s a dream come true!” Lejirma exclaimed. “I arrived last night from Kisii where I shot 4-under, so I came in confident. My strategy was simple – keep the ball on the fairway and play regulation golf.”

Chasing Pack

Lejirma holds a one-stroke advantage over Muthaiga Golf Club’s Greg Snow and Vetlab Sports Club’s Isaiah Otuke, who both carded 2-under 69. Both players recovered from shaky starts with strong back-nine performances.

Otuke overcame early pressure from playing partners Michael Karanga and Michael Kisia, who faltered with consecutive double bogeys on holes 13 and 14. “I lowered my expectations coming in,” Otuke said. “I missed several birdie chances on the front nine but found my rhythm after the turn.”

Snow Eyes Sunshine Tour Qualification

Experienced pro Greg Snow expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete in the Sunshine Tour Q-School event. “This is a great initiative that gives East African players valuable exposure,” Snow said. “I’m aiming for a top-10 finish to earn my spot in South Africa.”

The veteran golfer acknowledged the challenging conditions: “The swirling wind made it tricky today. I left some shots out there but will stick to my game plan and stay patient.”

Tournament Outlook

Second-round action begins at 7:30 AM as competitors battle to make the cut. The event offers a KES 1 million prize purse and, more importantly, Sunshine Tour Final Stage Qualifier spots in Johannesburg for the top ten finishers.

This Sunshine Development Tour Q-School tournament represents a significant opportunity for East African golfers to showcase their talent and potentially earn professional playing privileges on one of Africa’s premier golf circuits.

This article summarizes an original report. Read the full original article here.