Ten golfers book Longest Drive final spots

By Staff Writer 

The race for the Longest Drive title at the 2026 Vodacom Corporate Masters gained momentum on Tuesday after 10 golfers secured places in the final following a competitive pre-qualifying showdown at TPDF Lugalo Golf Club in Dar es Salaam.

Five men and five women emerged as the top performers in the Mini Masters Longest Drive pre-qualifiers, earning the right to compete for the title during the Vodacom Corporate Masters 2026 golf tournament on September 5 at the same course.

In the women’s category, Ayne Magombe topped the standings with the longest drive of 224 metres. Shufaa Twalib finished second with 220 metres, while Chiku Elias was third on 182 metres.

Joyce Ndyetabura took fourth place with 165 metres, with Yasmin Chali completing the top five after recording 163 metres.

South Korea’s Joohak Yeon led the men’s qualifiers with an impressive 258-metre drive. Peter Fiwa was second with 231 metres, followed by Stephen Chuwalo and Ernest Sengeu, who both recorded 222 metres.

David Mziray completed the men’s top five with a 220-metre drive.

The qualifiers will now advance to the Longest Drive final, where they will compete for the title currently held by defending champion Ali Mamdouhi, as well as a chance to win a ticket courtesy of Kenya Airways, the event sponsor.

Each golfer was given three attempts, with only their longest drive counting towards the final result.

Commenting on the event, Joseph Tairo advised the organisers to introduce additional categories, including a senior category, to make the competition more inclusive and attractive.
He said many senior golfers like himself would be interested in participating but may find it difficult to compete on equal terms with younger players.
Corporate Masters chairman Kelly Simon said preparations for the main tournament were progressing well, describing the event as more than just a golf competition.

He said the Corporate Masters provides a platform for business networking, brand visibility and customer engagement while also contributing to the long-term development of golf.

The Vodacom Corporate Masters 2026 is scheduled for September 5 at TPDF Lugalo Golf Club, bringing together corporate players and golf enthusiasts for a day that combines competitive golf with business networking and the promotion of the sport.