NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 2 – After captaining Kenya to bronze at the recently concluded All-Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) in Agadir, Morocco, Vipingo Ridge’s superstar Naomi Wafula believes her skills and leadership qualities will propel her to climb the ladder on the greens and fairways.
With an apparently insatiable appetite for success, Kenya number one lady golfer aims to advance her golfing career by competing internationally and indeed bolstering her world ranking in the long run.
Naomi is Kenya’s mainstay at the prestigious LET Magical Kenya Ladies Open hosted at her home PGA Baobab Golf Course.
–Killing Teo Birds With One Stone–
Over and above her ambitious plans, Naomi also habours a burning desire to mentor young budding talent through the evergreen Vipingo Ridge Junior Golf Clinic Program ranks and creating sponsorship opportunities, by and large.
As a US Certified Kids Coach and social influencer supported by Vipingo Ridge, Naomi aims to reach for the stars on both facets of the sport.
Her journey to success has been marked by incredible achievements, invaluable lessons, and moments of inspiration that have shaped her both on and off the golf course.
So far this year, Naomi has competed in 19 tournaments, traversing the African continent with vim and vigor, racking up top 10 results in 10 of the events (many of them Men’s events for tour points).
She also proudly captained Team Kenya in the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational held at Leopard Creek, South Africa.
But her crowning moment of 2024 came when she claimed the Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU) Matchplay Championship Title.
Another remarkable performance was at the Kiambu Open from 15th-17th November 2024, where she chucked up a hard-fought second place despite challenging weather conditions.
Naomi was defending her ceiling-breaking, history-making title of the first ever female winner of a Kenyan amateur golf mens event in Kiambu in 2023.
She attributes much of her success to the support system and facilities at Vipingo Ridge, including training with PGA Professional David Marsh at the PGA Academy, which has honed her technique and elevated her performance to desirable heights.
The PGA Baobab Course provides Naomi with a world-class practice environment surrounded by serene wildlife and breathtaking seafront landscapes.
Granted! 2024 has been the year of the gym for Naomi. She has been focussed on her diet and been documenting her golfing lifestyle on social media to a growing audience.
Regular sessions at the Vipingo Ridge gym have fuelled her passion for fitness and enhanced her strength and overall well-being.
–Inspiring Young Talent –
Naomi trains children from five local schools, namely Vipingo Primary, Chodari Primary, Future Hope School, Gongoni Primary, and Vipingo Central through the Vipingo Ridge Junior Golf Clinic Program.
When not travelling for tournaments, every Tuesday afternoon Naomi spends time with the kids inspiring them to try something new, building confidence, focussing on punctuality and sportsmanship – all great qualities for the children in their futures.
Through her coaching, she aims to nurture their talent and create opportunities for success stories in Kenya Junior Golf.
–Facing Challenges with Resilience –
While 2024 was filled with successes, Naomi also encountered challenges.
As with every sports person, and particularly golf, there are no guarantees.
Missing the cut at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open, a Ladies European Tour (LET) event held at Vipingo Ridge was a setback.
It was not what she expected after making history the previous year as the only Kenyan player ever to make the cut in the LET ranks.
This February experience fuelled her determination to keep striving for greatness and helped shape 2024.
Her LET debacle had her jump through a lot of hoops to get the much-needed needed form and gusto to reach for the stars – as nothing comes easy without working for it.
Determined to become a world-class golfer, Naomi hopes to keep her nose to the grindstone all through her training sessions.
-By Vipingo Ridge website –
