Africa-Press – Kenya. Njoroge Kibugu follows his tee during a previous event/ HANDOUT The Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing (SDT-EAS) has unveiled an expanded and ambitious calendar for Season 2, lining up 14 events across the region from April 2026 to January 2027.
The second season will feature a significantly expanded 14-tournament slate, building on the success, credibility and momentum generated during a trailblazing inaugural campaign.
As was the case in Season 1, the second edition will continue to offer players consistent, high-level competition, with all tournaments ratified by the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), further enhancing the Tour’s global standing.
Season 2 will tee off in April 2026 with the Qualifying School at Thika Greens Golf Resort, where the stakes will be high from the opening swing.
The top ten finishers will earn coveted invitations to compete at the Sunshine Tour Final Stage Qualifier in South Africa, reinforcing the Tour’s reputation as a genuine pathway to elite professional golf.
From there, the action will shift to Thika Sports Club, which will host an SDT-EAS event for the first time from April 19 to April 21, before the Tour rolls into the capital for a Nairobi double-header in June.
Royal Nairobi Golf Club will stage the first of the back-to-back events from June 7 to June 9, followed by Vet Lab Sports Club from June 14 to June 16.
The Tour will then trade the city fairways for the coast, heading to the Kenyan shoreline for two events in July.
Vipingo Ridge Golf Resort will host from July 10 to July 12, before Diamonds Leisure Golf Resort takes centre stage from July 17 to July 19.
Ruiru Sports Club will host the sixth leg of Season 2 from August 16 to August 18, after which the Tour crosses borders to Kigali, Rwanda.
The seventh leg will be staged at Kigali Golf Resort and Villas from September 1 to September 3.
October will deliver a demanding Rift Valley double-header, starting at Nakuru Golf Club from October 18 to 20, before the Tour climbs higher to the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort from October 25 to 27.
After a brief pause, the circuit resumes at Nyali Golf and Country Club from December 6 to 8, before moving to the serene and tree-lined Limuru Country Club for the final regular-season event from January 17 to 19, 2027.
The season will culminate in two high-stakes finales.
The SDT-EAS Finale will be staged at Sigona Golf Club from February 5 to 7, 2027, before the curtain falls with the Sunshine Development Tour Africa Championship from March 18 to 21, 2027, at a venue to be announced.
The Africa Championship will bring together the top 30 golfers from the East Africa Swing and the top 30 players from South Africa’s Big Easy Tour, with competitors battling for playing cards on the main Sunshine Tour for the 2027/28 season.
Commenting on the expanded calendar, Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing Tournament Director David Kihara said the structure reflects the Tour’s long-term development vision.
“This calendar is a deliberate step forward for professional golf in East Africa. We are increasing the number of events, spreading them across different regions, and giving players consistency, stability, and a clear competitive pathway. Our objective is to create a Tour that prepares players properly for global golf, not just through competition, but through exposure to different courses, conditions, and tournament environments,” said Kihara.
He added that the inclusion of new venues underlines the growing confidence in the Tour.
“The response from clubs and players has been encouraging. Hosting first-time venues like Thika Sports Club, Vipingo Ridge, Nakuru and Sigona shows how the Tour is gaining trust and momentum across the region.”
The impact of the Tour’s inaugural season has already been felt, with Kenya’s Njoroge Kibugu and Naomi Wafula securing historic playing cards on the Sunshine Tour and Sunshine Ladies Tour respectively after standout performances on the Sunshine Development Tour East Africa Swing.
Their achievements marked the first time Kenyan golfers earned full tour cards to major professional golf tours.
Kibugu sealed his Sunshine Tour card in emphatic fashion, winning three Sunshine Development Tour events at Thika Greens Golf Resort, Nyali Golf Club and Vet Lab Sports Club.
Wafula earned her Sunshine Ladies Tour card after an outstanding campaign in which she made seven of eight cuts.
She will compete under a newly created African Affiliate category, granting her access to the Sunshine Ladies Tour and further underlining the SDT-EAS’s.
