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GOLF
First Bank of Nigeria Plc and two of its subsidiaries, FBN Mortgages and FBN Registrars have concluded plans to make this year’s edition of Lagos Amateur Golf Championship a memorable one.
The prestigious tournament, scheduled to tee-off on the lush green of Ikoyi Club 1938, Lagos on Friday, October 21 will mark the 50th anniversary of the championship.
One of the key attractions of this year’s tournament is the participation of two Professional Golf Association (PGA) members from Sweden, Joakim Rasik and Bjorn Pettersson amongst other elite Nigerian players.
While Rasik won the biggest European Tour Prize of €14,538 in 1997, Pettersson won the biggest European Tour prize of €6,147 in 2003. In addition to active participation in the tournament, the two players will also anchored coaching clinic for kids and adults who are interested in the game of golf.
The tournament, which made its debut 50 years ago, and has produced 33 winners, is the oldest elite golf tournaments in the country. It has also sired professional golfers like Sunday Okpe, Willy Gift, Oche Odoh and I. Ocheje among others. Till date, Samuel Amadi and J. Ajiboye hold the record title of highest winners of the trophy with five trophies each. While Ajiboye won in 1969, 1972, 1973, 1975 and 1979, Amadi, who is the defending champion, won the trophy in 1997, 1999, 2001, 2007 and 2010.
Commenting on the sponsorship, First Bank’s Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney said the bank is not unconscious of the need for business executives to take a keen interest in their physical and mental wellbeing, adding that the tournament will also present a golden opportunity for players to take advantage of numerous products offered by the Bank’s Private Banking.
The annual tournament is open to all amateur golfers who are members of a registered Golf Club with handicap of 14 or below. The championship is a 36-hole event to be played over two days, at 18 holes each. Elite clubs expected at the tournament include Golf Clubs from Ikeja, Ibadan, Port-Harcourt, Ilorin, Aba, Benin, Kano, Kaduna, Calabar and Ekiti. Others include IBB Golf & Country Club, Abuja; Air–Assault Golf Club, Makurdi; and Dolphin Golf Club of Lagos. About 260 players are expected at the tournament.