By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Aug. 25, 2024 (NAN) Shola Adebayo has emerged as the overall winner of the 2024 Captain’s Inaugural tournament held at the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja.
Playing off a handicap 13, Adebayo achieved a gross score of 76 and an impressive overall best net of 63, beating a field of over 400 golfers over three days.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tournament, which teed off on Friday, concluded on Sunday.
A jubilant Adebayo expressed his delight at winning in spite of the challenges posed by the course.
He described the sport as a game of life, adding that the course is filled with a lot of challenges along the way in which a player must find a way to navigate through.
“You know, golf as we players look at it. It’s a game of life.
“All I will say is that you just need to be calm and take whatever comes your way because there are a lot of challenges along the path.
“Just focus, take it the way it comes, don’t add too much greed, carefulness, and all of that.
“That’s just the way. Play more golf, and you can emerge the winner.
“Luck is part of golf, but then you still have to put in some effort to play good golf,” he said.
Meanwhile, Godwin Okoko secured the professional category prize with a gross score of 68, edging out runner-up Kamalu Bako on countback.
Emmanuel Edoka won the best gross men’s prize with a gross score of 82, playing off a handicap of 7.
In the men’s division 1 category (handicap 0-10), Michael Rafferty emerged victorious with a gross score of 82 and 74 net, beating his challenger on countback.
Mohammed Kangiwa finished as runner-up in the category, playing off a handicap of 10 with a gross score of 84 and 74 net.
In the men’s handicap 19 and above category, South Korea’s P.K. Kim, playing off a handicap of 19, won with a gross score of 86 and 87 net.
Captain Ibrahim Babayo secured the 1st runner-up position in the category, playing off a handicap of 21 with a gross score of 90 and 69 net.
In the ladies’ division 1 category (handicap 0-10), Grace Agbo won with a gross score of 84 and 75 net, playing off a handicap of 9.
In the Auxiliary award category, Rachael Danjuma won the prize for the longest drive with a distance of 239 metres, while Kamalu Bako won the men’s category with a distance292 metres.
Amina Wilfred who emerged the overall winner of the ladies professional category with 77 gross also won the prize for nearest to the pin (ladies) with a distance of 7 ft., while Joseph Shuiabu won the prize in the men’s category with a distance1.99 ft.
The tournament was organised to officially welcome Ibrahim Babayo and Julie Donli as the 27th captain and lady captain of the prestigious golf club.
Donli explained that the Captain’s Inaugural was usually a big tournament that involved all the members of the club as well as friends, guests, and well wishers, to usher in the new exco members
“But this time around, it is kind of joint, in the sense that, normally, the lady captain would have the Lady Captain’s Inaugural, while the Captain would have the Captain’s Inaugural
“However, this time around, the Captain has subsumed all the sectional heads under his wing as the head of the club, to have just one Inaugural that also takes care of the Captain of tennis section and the Lady Captain,” she said.
She noted that the Lady Golf Section theme for the year is “Ladies supporting ladies.”
She also said that the LGS Executive Committee was also using the tournament to roll out its programme for the year, adding that they have been doing a lot of work towards supporting the ladies, the female caddies
“The LGS Executive Committee also built a toilet to support ladies, most especially children.
“We also have a lot of children’s projects like the children’s clinic, which was concluded not too long ago.
“We also just recently concluded the junior open which for the young children as well.
“So, we have a lot of these developmental projects, especially for the children and the ladies.
“We are looking forward to the Ladies Open and the Ladies Close. There’s so much to do this year.
“The LGS is already aware of all the activities that we will be rolling out this year,” she said(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
