From Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
Nigeria’s promising golfer, Georgia Oboh has started her professional quest on a bright note after winning the Cote d’Ivoire Open in Abidjan over the weekend.
The 17-year-old edged Senegal’s Oumy Dieye and Madagascar’s Leslie Grandet, who campaigns on the Sunshine Ladies Tour and a host of other lady professionals from Côte d’Ivoire by three shots to emerge victorious.
It was a historic flourish over the
6,669 yards long Ivoire Golf Club layout by the Nigerian starlet, who is bidding to earn the Ladies European Tour (LET) professional card at the final Qualifying School in Marrakech, Morocco, from December 16 to 20.
Oboh carded 74,78, 85, 78 over four rounds to become the youngest winner of a professional golf event in Africa.
Her opening 74 on the par 73 golf course gave her a seven- shot lead over the field. But Morocco based Dieye cut that advantage to three shots, halfway through the campaign.
After depleting her lead in the first six holes on day three, Oboh rallied to restore her three shots lead going into the final round, despite poor visibility that warranted play to be suspended till the following day.
She and Dieye resumed early on Sunday morning to complete the last hole and then wait until 12noon to start the fourth and final round.
Her birdie on the 18th hole was greeted with a rousing roar by the packed gallery to herald the emergence of the new queen of the greens.
