Kenya Railways' golfer John Lejirma will be seeking back-to-back Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championships titles when the championships tees off on Thursday morning at the Karen Golf Club, Nairobi.

The reigning Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAGC) champion will be lining up alongside 110 other golfers in search of an automatic slot to the 2024 Magical Kenya Open at the same venue.

Last year, Lejirma defeated Golf Park’s Sammy Mulama and Vet Lab’s Isaac Makokha at the par 72 Vipingo Ridge golf resort.

Lejirma has recorded just a single win this season after beating Elvis Muigua to the Field Marshall and Toby Gibson Trophy title at the nine-hole Njoro golf club in Nakuru county.

The four-day tournament is scheduled for Thursday through Sunday with 18 holes a day in the 72-hole championships with the winner earning an automatic qualification for the MKO.

At Vipingo last year, Lejirma fired a total of 11 over par 299 for the title, edging out other 49 golfers who made the cut on Saturday from 76 players.

Former champion Adel Balala from Vipingo will be chasing the title as well as KAGC series leader and so will be the hot-firing Michael Karanga from Kiambu golf club.

The tournament has also attracted Ugandans Godfrey Nsubuga, Andrew Ssekibejja and Abiti Juma, Tanzanian Michael Massawe and his counterparts Isiaka Daudi, Felix Dusabe and George Sembi.