NGF’s Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola
By Olawale Ajimotokan
The Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) has chosen the venue to host the 2012 President Cup, which is considered its biggest tournament.
Impeccable golf sources informed us Saturday night that the NGF has awarded the hosting of the tournament to Otukpo, Benue State.
The choice of St Mark Golf Club, Akpedege, Otukpo, by the Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led golf federation, is informed by a number of political and prevailing factors.
The course that was commissioned last year got the nod ahead of Sagamu Golf Club and Elizade Golf Course, Ilara- Mokin, Ondo State.
Elizade course, which is still under construction and yet to be put to any test, is a project financed by Chief Michael Ade Ojo, the Chairman of Toyota Nigeria Limited.
The consideration of Otukpo is a boost to Benue State which is about to carve an image as Nigeria’s busiest golf destination bearing in mind that a total number of eight professional golf tournaments, including Papa Mark Pro-Am, which tees off on Tuesday, are on schedule for the course this year.
We learnt that the President Cup is to be held in December immediately after the National Sports Festival billed for Lagos.
In fact, the original date touted was December 4-9, but the federation had to set that aside after it was discovered that it would clash with the National Sports Festival which will parade most of the amateur golfers who will be representing their respective states.
In addition, officials of the NGF will also be at actively engaged to assist in officiating at the “games of unity’’.
The President Cup is the annual golf tournament in honour of a sitting president. This year’s edition may now be held from December 11-16. The last edition sponsored by Globacom, was staged in Abuja from December 13-18 and was claimed by Edam Imo, who outplayed the Ghanaian legend, Emos Korblah by two strokes.
In the meanwhile, Oyinlola has disclosed the robust plan of the golf federation to work at preparing the stage for Nigeria to be represented in golf at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Oyinlola said that Nigeria will not want to be left out from tee time when golf is listed for the first times as one of the games on the card at the quadrennial games since 1904.
“We hope to be at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil and we already working towards that. With the right training and incentives, Nigeria is blessed with a crop of talented players who I believe can excel at the Olympics,” Oyinlola said.
Two years ago, NGF tried to give international exposure to some of its prospect at the World Amateur Golf Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“We went to the championship with two amateur golfers, who though did not make a good mark but will derive from the exposure and experience. If we continue like that, we will be able to produce our own talents and be on the curve to partake in the Olympics”.