William Odek clinched the NCBA Nyali Open title in thrilling fashion, edging out 2025 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) Series champion John Lejirma in a dramatic three-hole aggregate playoff that spilled into sudden death as the season finale concluded at Nyali Golf & Country Club.
The duo finished level on four-over-par 217 after three rounds, necessitating a playoff that was only settled on the third sudden-death return to the 18th hole.
After matching each other shot for shot on the first two playoff holes, the decisive moment came when Lejirma pulled his tee shot left of the bunker while attacking the flag, abandoning his earlier conservative approach of aiming for the centre of the green.
Odek stayed composed, found the heart of the putting surface and safely made par, while Lejirma dropped a bogey to bring the defending champion’s reign at Nyali to an end.
Odek’s final round proved a test of resilience. He opened strongly with a birdie at the second but faltered with dropped shots at the third, fourth, sixth, eighth and 10th.
A momentum-shifting eagle on the 11th steadied his charge and kept him ahead until Lejirma drew level on the 17th, setting up the dramatic playoff finish.
Lejirma’s challenge was built on a spirited recovery. Despite a difficult start that included a triple bogey at the fourth, he rallied with birdies at the ninth, 11th, 13th and 17th to force the playoff.
Nakuru’s John Kamais had earlier seized the spotlight with a course-record seven-under-par 64 on Saturday to lead into the final round, but a double bogey at the fourth and five further bogeys at the seventh, eighth, 10th, 12th and 16th saw him slip to third overall.
Njoro Country Club’s Mercy Nyanchama delivered a consistent showing with rounds of 73, 75 and 73 for a total of eight-over-par 221 to finish fourth.
Felix Dusabe and Michael Karanga shared fifth place, one stroke behind.
Looking ahead, the 2026 calendar will expand to 33 events with the addition of the Ulinzi Open, scheduled for March at the Kenya Air Force Golf Club, and the Machakos Open, set for April.
