Home Player John Lejirma in Command Heading into Final Round of the Johnnie Walker Classic at Royal

Home player John Lejirma produced a masterful performance on round two of the Johnnie Walker Classic, the sixth leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, taking control of the tournament heading into the final round at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club. Lejirma, representing the host club, fired an impressive 6-under par 66 in his second round, taking his overall tournament total to 8-under par and a commanding four-shot lead. His round featured birdies on holes 2, 3, 7, and 11, an eagle on the 15th, and another birdie on the 16th, before dropping a shot on the final hole. Speaking after his round, Lejirma said: “I am grateful for the round today. It was a solid round, and I had hoped to have a bogey-free round but unfortunately on hole 18 I got away with a bogey. I started very well and I’ve gotten my putting stroke fire back, which really came in handy today. It’s always pressure heading to the final round when everyone is expecting you to deliver, but this is golf and anything can happen. Tomorrow I’ll stick to my game plan and hopefully lift the trophy.” In second place, Njoroge Kibugu of Windsor Country Club carded a 2-under par 70, courtesy of birdies on 7, 8, 9, and 15, offset by bogeys on 1 and 18, for a 4-under par total. Rizwan Charania, also from Windsor sits third after a 1-under par 71, built on early birdies at 1, 2, and 3, and two more on 13 and 14, though late bogeys on 16 and 18 cost him momentum, taking him to 3-under par overall. Reflecting on his performance, Charania said: “I started off with three birdies, a dream start for me this morning. I was hitting the ball very well, just as I did yesterday, and I’m happy with the consistency in my game. I dropped a couple of shots, made a few mistakes, but it’s all to play for tomorrow. The last two events I’ve barely made the cut, so being in contention now is really special. Tomorrow I’ll go in with the same positive attitude and just hope for the best.” Veteran Dismas Indiza of Kakamega Sports Club and Erick Ooko are tied for fourth at 1-under par. Indiza returned to a 1-under 71, while Ooko shot level par for the second consecutive day. Uganda’s Grace Kasango and Zimbabwe’s Victor Mapwanya were the highest-placed non-Kenyan players; finishing tied for sixth at level par (144) after steady performances across both rounds. Mapwanya said: “It was a tough day out there. I started with a bogey on the first nine, which was a bit disappointing, but I managed to steady myself and finish one-under. If I can get my putting to click tomorrow, I believe I can post a really strong score.” Kasango, thrilled with his progress, added: “I’m really happy with how I played. This is my sixth time competing in this tournament, but the first time I’ve made the cut, so that feels like a big milestone. I’m proud of how I handled myself out there and hopeful for an even better round tomorrow.” A total of 30 players have made the cut to contest the final round on Wednesday, where they will battle for a share of the Ksh 2 million prize purse, with the winner taking home KSh 400,000. The event also offers Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, along with Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing Order of Merit points. The Johnnie Walker Classic is supported by East African Breweries Limited (EABL) through its Johnnie Walker brand as the title sponsor, alongside Vivo Energy Kenya, Pure Travel, and Magical Kenya. This leg of the Sunshine Development Tour reinforces Johnnie Walker’s ongoing commitment to the growth of golf in Kenya and across East Africa — fostering professional development, regional collaboration, and opportunities for African golfers to gain international exposure.