-Nduva beat Uganda’s Gaita in the playoff thriller to fly Kenyan flag high in the sweet victory.
-He carded rounds of 72, 69, 73, 72 gross while Gaita carded 74, 73, 70, 69 gross for a total of 286 gross each, a result that forced them to a 3-hole playoff, still tied, they went to sudden death, one hole, winner takes all.
-For Nduva, this was not just another trophy, this was for the country, for the Coast, for every young golfer in Kenya who dreams of winning abroad.
MAARUFU MOHAMED-GOLFNEWSLINKS.
The Kenyan flag flew highest in Entebbe on Friday, a final round dripping with tension, drama and pure theatre.
Kenyan professional Daniel Nduva from Mombasa held his nerve, survived a 3-hole playoff, and then won on the very first sudden-death playoff hole to win the Stanbic Entebbe Open 2026 at Entebbe Club.
One Kenyan, against a whole field of Ugandans, against a roaring home crowd, against all the pressure, and he still won.
Nduva and Uganda’s Rodell Gaita had finished tied at the top on 286 gross total each, 2-over par, after four grueling rounds where Nduva carded rounds of 72, 69, 73, 72 gross and Gaita carded 74, 73, 70, 69 gross, result forced them to a 3-hole playoff, still tied, they went to sudden death, one hole, winner takes all.
And on that one hole, the boy from Mombasa showed the heart of a champion, He played it cool, he played it bravely, he played it like a winner and when Gaita blinked, Nduva seized his moment, Entebbe fell silent but Kenya erupted.
Daniel Nduva, the Kenyan flag bearer, the Mombasa star was champion of the Stanbic Entebbe Open 2026.
“I did this for Kenya,” said Nduva
For Nduva, this was not just another trophy, this was for the country, for the Coast, for every young golfer in Kenya who dreams of winning abroad.
“I am so happy, so proud, so emotional. To win here, in Uganda, in front of their home crowd, means everything to me,” said Nduva, holding the trophy high and draped in the Kenyan spirit.
“I came here to carry the Kenyan flag high. I knew I was the only Kenyan in contention, I knew all the Ugandans wanted to win at home, but I told myself, I am from Mombasa, I am from Kenya, I will not give up,” Nduva spoke about the playoff, the most nerve-wracking moments of his career. When we were tied after 72 holes, my heart was beating so fast. The 3-hole playoff was so tight. We both played well. We were still tied. Then sudden death, one hole to decide everything. I told myself, breathe, focus, trust your game. This is why you practice. I hit a good tee shot, I played smart, I stayed calm. When the winning putt dropped, I just felt relief, joy, pride everything at once. This win is for Kenya, for Mombasa, for my family, for my coaches, and for all the young golfers back home who believe they can do it. Winning through a playoff is the sweetest way to win. It shows you can handle pressure. It shows you have heart. I want to thank Stanbic, Entebbe Club, the organizers, and the Ugandan fans for great sportsmanship. And to Kenyans, I carried our flag high today, and I promise to keep flying it high,” said Nduva.
It was a quote fit for a champion, and it was true, Nduva had carried Kenya high, alone, against the odds.
Nduva started the day under pressure, Gaita, the home favorite, was charging, the Ugandan crowd wanted a home winner, the course was tough, the wind was tricky, and every shot mattered.
Nduva’s final round of 72 gross was a masterclass in patience, he did not chase birdies, He did not panic after a bogey, He played like a man who knew the trophy would come to the calmest head.
Gaita’s final round of 69 gross was brilliant, the best round of the day among the leaders and it forced the playoff, the Ugandan star deserved huge credit, he pushed Nduva to the very limit.
But in the playoff, Nduva’s experience, his Mombasa toughness, and his big-match temperament, made the difference.
Behind the two playoff heroes, Uganda’s stars gave everything, where Abraham Ainamani and Grace Kasango finished tied third on 287 gross each, 3-over par, just one shot behind the leaders.
Ainamani carded 72, 73, 68, 74 gross, Kasango carded 72, 72, 68, 75 gross, both had chances, both will rue missed putts, but both showed the depth of Ugandan golf.
It was a strong Ugandan field, that is what makes Nduva’s win even sweeter, he beat them all, on their home course, in their home tournament.
Nduva is not just a Kenyan pro, He is a Coast product, a boy who grew up by the Indian Ocean, who learned his golf under the Mombasa sun, who has carried the hopes of the Coast to tournaments across East Africa.
Now he has added the Stanbic Entebbe Open to his name and he did it the hard way, through a playoff, through sudden death, through pressure that would break many men.
In Entebbe, they will remember the Kenyan who would not blink, in Mombasa, they will celebrate a son who has made them proud, in Kenya, they will celebrate a flag that flew highest in Uganda.
The Stanbic Entebbe Open 2026 will be remembered for one thing, the playoff, four rounds, 286 shots each, 3-hole playoff, one sudden-death hole and one winner-Daniel Nduva.
As the sun set over Entebbe Club that day, the trophy was heading across the border, to Kenya, to Mombasa, to Daniel Nduva’s hands.
ENDS.
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