KIAMBU: TANZANIAN golfer Madina Iddi produced a superb openinground performance at the NCBA Ruiru Open, carding a one-under-par 71 to place herself among the early contenders at Ruiru Sports Club in Kenya on Friday.
Madina, one of the standout regional entrants in the 120-player field, finished the opening round tied for fourth overall and emerged as the highest-placed female golfer in the tournament.
The Tanzanian star sits just two shots behind clubhouse leader Eugine Wafula of Kenya, who fired a three-under-par 69 to take the early lead.
Madina shares fourth position with Kenya’s Steve Kiaro, underlining her ability to compete strongly against some of East Africa’s leading amateur golfers.
The championship has attracted participants from Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania, further highlighting the growing stature of the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) circuit as one of East Africa’s premier amateur golf competitions.
Competitors are battling for top honours, a share of the Ksh500,000 prize purse, valuable World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points and crucial Order of Merit points as the race for the 2026 KAGC title gathers momentum.
However, the tournament is guaranteed to produce a new champion following the transition of two-time winner John Lejirma to the professional ranks.
Lejirma captured both the 2024 and 2025 titles, leaving the field wide open for a new name to emerge at Ruiru.
While Wafula holds the early advantage, Madina’s strong start has firmly established her as a genuine contender heading into the second round. Her performance also highlights the growing strength of Tanzanian golf on the regional stage as East Africa’s top amateurs continue their quest for championship glory.
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At the summit of the leaderboard, Wafula leads on threeunder par, followed by Kenya’s Josphat Rono and Rwanda’s Felix Dusabe, who are tied for second on two-under par.
With two rounds remaining, Madina remains well within striking distance of the lead and will be looking to build on her impressive start as the battle for the NCBA Ruiru Open title intensifies.