-They will feature in Vodacom Origins of Golf at the Pezula Championship Course and the prestigious Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship at St Francis Links, Both in South Africa.
-Both events form part of the Sunshine Tour’s elite schedule and attract some of the highest-ranked professional golfers on the African continent.
MAARUFU MOHAMED-GOLFNEWSLINKS.
Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera and Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo are set to compete in two major Sunshine Tour tournaments in South Africa this month courtesy of the Sunshine Development Tour-East Africa Swing.
The two have received invitations to feature at the Vodacom Origins of Golf at the Pezula Championship Course from 20 th to 23rd November 2025, an event boasting a 500,000 South African Rands (approximately Ksh. 18.8 million) prize fund.
The following week, he will compete in the prestigious Fitch & Leedes PGA Championship at St Francis Links from 27 th to 30 th November 2025, which carries a 3 million South Africa Rands (approximately Ksh. 22.6 million) prize purse.
Both events form part of the Sunshine Tour’s elite schedule and attract some of the highest-ranked professional golfers on the African continent.
The invitations position the two golfers among the elite African golfers competing at the highest levels of the sport and further highlight the growing impact of the Sunshine Development Tour-East Africa Swing in developing world-class golf talent from the region.
Nsanzuwera has been among the tour’s most successful players this season, recording multiple victories at the Q-School in Naivasha, at the Diamonds Leisure Lodge, at his home club Kigali Golf Resort & Villas, as well as consistent top three finishes in recent Kenyan legs at the Betika Masters held at VetLab Sports Club and Limuru Country Club in Kenya.
His consistency has propelled him to second place on the SDT Order of Merit with 1,088.33 points, behind only Kenya’s Njoroge Kibugu.
These strong performances have positioned him as one of the region’s first true contenders for progression into the Sunshine Tour and, eventually other major global golf events.
Speaking ahead of his departure, Nsanzuwera said he was honored and motivated by the opportunity.
“Playing two Sunshine Tour events is a big step for me and my career. My goal this season has been to test myself against the best, and the SDT–EAS has prepared me well. I have gained confidence from my wins and top finishes, and I want to carry that momentum to South Africa. I will give my best and represent Rwanda and the East African region proudly,” said Nsanzuwera.
Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo has also been a notable presence on both the East Africa Swing and South Africa’s Big Easy Tour, consistently performing well and making multiple cuts across the season.
Earlier this month, Rugumayo produced one of his finest performances, finishing joint second on 5-under par 205 at the Big Easy Tour 8 held at Killarney Country Club in Johannesburg.
The result marked the highest finish by an East African golfer on the Big Easy Tour.
On receiving his invitation, Rugumayo said, “This opportunity means a lot. The SDT–EAS has kept us competitive all year, and playing in South Africa recently gave me the belief that I can compete at this level. The goal is always to keep improving, stay focused, and take these chances when they come. I’m ready to give it my all.”
Sunshine Tour Commissioner Thomas Abt welcomed the participation of the two East African players, saying, “Celestin’s and Rugumayo’s progression into Sunshine Tour events is exactly what the Sunshine Development Tour was created for. Development tours are the engines that prepare players for the highest levels of professional golf. What we are seeing with these two incredible golfers is a clear sign that East African golfers can, and will, compete on bigger stages. We congratulate the two and look forward to seeing many more players from the SDT-EAS follow this same pathway.”
SDT-EAS Tournament Director David Kihara added that, “Celestin and Rugumayo are a perfect example of what consistent, structured competition can do for an athlete. Since the start of the season, their game has shown incredible maturity, technically, mentally, and strategically. That is the value of this tour, giving players real opportunities to grow and create pathways into bigger events. We are confident they will hold their own in South Africa and that many more SDT players will follow in their footsteps.”
The participation of the two East Africa Swing players in the Sunshine Tour marks another major step in strengthening East Africa’s presence on the continental golf stage.
They become the latest beneficiary of the Sunshine Tour’s integration with the SDT-EAS, which continues to offer players OWGR points, international exposure, and now, progression into some of the most competitive fields on the continent.
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