NAIROBI – Kenya's elite amateur men's golf team departed for Antananarivo, Madagascar, on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, to compete in the Africa Region Four Golf Championship, aiming to secure a fourth consecutive title and reaffirm its dominance in East and Central African golf. The tournament, which runs from Tuesday, November 25, to Saturday, November 29, at the Golf du Rova Luxury Hotel, is a World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) registered event, drawing top talent from across the region and placing a significant spotlight on the development of amateur golf in Africa.

The four-man squad, managed by Kenya Golf Union (KGU) Chairman Chris Kinuthia and prepared by coach Ali Mohsin Khimji, features a formidable lineup of Kenya's best amateur talent. The team is captained by John Lejirmah, the 2022 Golfer of the Year, and includes Michael Karanga, the dominant 2023 Golfer of the Year, the in-form Elvis Muigua, and junior international Junaid Manji, who is making his senior national team debut. Manji replaces Adel Balala, who was part of the victorious 2024 squad.

A Legacy of Dominance

Team Kenya enters the championship as the firm favourite, having clinched the title for the past three consecutive years. Their winning streak began in Uganda in 2022, continued in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2023, and was solidified with a commanding victory at the Kigali Golf Resort and Villas in Rwanda in October 2024. In the 2024 edition, the Kenyan team, then comprising Karanga, Lejirmah, Muigua, and Balala, posted an impressive overall score of 841 gross, decisively beating regional rivals Uganda and Rwanda.

Michael Karanga was the standout individual performer in that tournament, finishing with a remarkable total score of 276 (-12) after a brilliant final round of 66, which was instrumental in fending off a strong challenge from the Ugandan team. This history of success has cemented Kenya's reputation as the regional powerhouse, a status the current team is under pressure to uphold.

Meet the Squad

The Kenyan contingent blends experience with youthful ambition, a strategy that reflects the Kenya Golf Union's focus on sustainable talent development.

• John Lejirmah (Captain): The Royal Nairobi Golf Club player has demonstrated exceptional form, recently winning the sixth leg of the Johnnie Walker Classic in a dramatic playoff in October 2025. His experience and steady play were crucial in the 2024 victory, where he tied for second place in the individual category.
• Michael Karanga: Arguably Kenya's top amateur, the Kiambu Golf Club player has dominated the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series for the past two years. His performance in the 2024 Region Four championship, where he single-handedly secured the win, makes him a player to watch.
• Elvis Muigua: Another Kiambu Golf Club talent, 20-year-old Muigua has been on a winning streak in 2024 and 2025, securing multiple KAGC series titles, including the Sigona Bowl, Windsor Classic, and the NCBA Winston Churchill Cup. His consistent high-level performance adds significant depth to the team.
• Junaid Manji: At 17, Manji is the team's youngest member and a product of the Junior Golf Foundation's development program. He is the reigning Kenya Junior Strokeplay Champion and has represented the country in numerous international junior events, including the All-Africa Junior Team Championship and The Junior Open in Scotland. His recent performance at the inaugural Corporate Masters Invitational, where he lost to teammate Lejirmah only in a sudden-death playoff, proves he is ready for the senior stage.

The Regional Context and Stakes

The Africa Region Four Championship is a critical battleground for regional bragging rights and a measure of the sport's growth. Nine countries are expected to participate: hosts Madagascar, defending champions Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mauritius, La Reunion, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Seychelles. The historic rivalry between Kenya and Uganda is expected to be a central feature of the competition. Uganda, who last won in 2019, has consistently finished second to Kenya and has sent a strong four-man team with the explicit goal of reclaiming the title.

The 54-hole stroke play tournament, where the best three scores per team count, tests both individual skill and team strategy. For Kenya, a fourth victory would not only extend their reign but also validate the country's investment in junior and amateur golf structures. Success at this WAGR-ranked event provides players with global visibility and is a key step in the pathway to professional golf. The performance of debutant Junaid Manji will be closely watched as a testament to the success of Kenya's junior development pipeline, which is increasingly seen as crucial for the long-term health of the sport in the region.