By Victor Okoye

Thirteen-year-old Kenyan golf sensation, Kanana Muthomi, has emerged as the individual champion of the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Muthomi’s victory came after an impressive performance at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.

Muthomi, popularly known as “Nana”, finished with a total of 13-over-par, following rounds of 77, 77 and 75, to claim the prestigious individual title.

The young golfer finished six shots ahead of runner-up, Isabella Ferreira of South Africa, who returned 19-over-par, while another South African, Charlotte Millard, finished third on 23-over-par.

Muthomi’s victory was particularly remarkable, considering her age and the challenging course conditions, which tested the resilience and concentration of the competitors.

Speaking after her triumph, Muthomi said winning the championship meant a great deal to her, both as a representative of Kenya and as an individual golfer.

“It really means a lot because I am representing my country, but I am also representing myself. I am grateful that I was able to push through the final round,” she said.

The champion said she remained focused on her game despite knowing she had led after the second round.

“I knew I was leading after the second round, but I did not know by how much. When I was told about the final round, I simply told myself to play my game,” she said.

Muthomi said Kenya’s strong performance was also significant, particularly given South Africa’s longstanding dominance of the competition.

“We are very happy with our team. We came here determined to challenge South Africa because they have dominated the championship for several years.

“Our goal was to compete strongly and close the gap, and I am happy with what we have achieved,” she added.

In the team competition, South Africa reclaimed the championship trophy with an aggregate score of 464, finishing six strokes ahead of second-placed Kenya, which returned 470.

Tanzania finished third with 479, while hosts Nigeria secured an impressive fourth position with a total gross of 500 over three days, underlining the country’s growing competitiveness in women’s amateur golf.

South Africa’s victory was particularly significant, having entered the championship determined to reclaim the title they had lost to hosts Morocco in the 2024 edition.

The South Africans, record 15-time champions, demonstrated their experience and consistency across the three rounds to return to the summit of African women’s amateur golf.

Uganda finished fifth with 504, followed by Zambia with 506, Botswana with 510, Zimbabwe with 521, Ghana with 526 and Rwanda with 526.

Tunisia placed 11th with 527, Gabon 12th with 542, Mauritius 13th with 556, Namibia 14th with 568 and Malawi 15th with 574.

Eswatini and Senegal finished 16th and 17th with 575 respectively, while Cameroon placed 18th with 583 and Togo finished 19th with 628.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s Bianca Ngecu won the AACT Junior Trophy after a pulsating contest against her South African counterpart.

The contest went down to the fourth playoff hole before Ngecu eventually prevailed, following a keenly contested battle that highlighted the quality of emerging female golfing talents on the continent.

President of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN), Dr. Lami Ahmed, described the championship as a successful outing, expressing gratitude to the African golfing authorities for giving Nigeria the opportunity to host.

Ahmed said the tournament demonstrated the positive impact of providing young female golfers with the right environment to develop and compete internationally.

“We are grateful to the AACT leadership for giving Nigeria this opportunity and to the IBB International Golf and Country Club for providing its facilities.

“We are also deeply grateful to the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, whose acceptance to become patron of the championship changed the entire outlook of the competition,” she said.

The LGAN president said the First Lady’s involvement had helped elevate the championship’s profile, while encouraging greater participation and commitment among young female golfers.

She commended the participating countries, sponsors, officials and volunteers for their contributions to the successful organisation of the event.

The outgoing AACT President, Madam Cécile Poncet described Nigeria’s hosting as a significant contribution to the development of women’s golf in Africa.

She said the championship had continued to provide an important platform for African countries to showcase their talents, strengthen relationships and promote excellence in the sport.

Cécile said the quality of competition, particularly the performances of the younger golfers, demonstrated the bright future of women’s golf on the continent.

She commended LGAN and the Nigerian organisers for delivering a memorable championship, expressing confidence that the tournament would continue to grow in stature.

Also speaking, Ekanem Ekwueme, AACT Trustee for West and Central Africa, said the competition had reinforced the importance of regional cooperation in developing women’s golf.

Ekwueme said Nigeria’s successful hosting, coupled with the performances of the participating countries, reflected the progress being made in expanding opportunities for female golfers.

She particularly highlighted the emergence of young talents such as Muthomi and Ngecu, describing their achievements as encouraging signs for the future of African golf.

Ekwueme urged stakeholders to sustain the momentum by investing in grassroots development, coaching, junior competitions and improved facilities.

NAN reports that the championship attracted golfers from across Africa, including South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Rwanda, Tunisia, Gabon, Mauritius, Namibia, Malawi, Eswatini, Senegal, Cameroon, Togo and hosts Nigeria.

The 2026 edition further reinforced the AACT’s reputation as one of Africa’s leading platforms for promoting women’s amateur golf, continental unity and the development of emerging talents.

NAN reports that the championship which began on Monday ended on Friday night with a colourful dinner/closing ceremony.held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Conference Centre in Abuja.(NAN)

Edited by Joseph Edeh