Golf: Nigeria’s Sole European Tour Qualifier Entry Threatened by Funds

Golf: Nigeria’s Sole European Tour Qualifier Entry Threatened by Funds

The chance of Nigeria’s Oche Odoh to fly the country’s flag on the European Golf Tour this year may not materialize going by the rising funding obligation of honouring the Tour under the new Covid-19 arrangement.

The Tour now requires each of the players participating and their caddy to be accommodated in the Tour Bubble throughout the duration of the event. The cost is borne by the participating player.

These Covid-19 Tour Bubble model has shot up the cost of each player executing their Tour obligations by almost 300%, and now stands between every player’s qualification and their dream.

Nigeria’s Odoh who last week shot himself within a rare entry into one of the world’s biggest Golf Tour said his dream now hangs in the balance after the costs of participation dawned on him.

” I am in a very great shape and qualified for the European Tour with only three events even when I needed to play 10. That tells how sharp my game is, but all that is becoming difficult, when the cost of the two events comes into play”

Odoh, Nigeria’s most consistent top three player for close to two decades who has been ranked topmost in almost a decade said he would need support, if Nigeria’s flag is to be hoisted later this month in Kenya during the tour.

The two events; The Magical Kenya Open and Kenya Savanah Classic both to be hosted back-to-back on the third and fourth weeks of March 2021 at the Karen Country Club in Nairobi will give Nigeria a rare window to get a player into the second most lucrative Tour and also earn world ranking points.

Odoh has taken his campaign to save his qualification to friends and well meaning golfers to chip in financial aid in support of his plan to feature at the key event coming up in few days time. The cost is presently put at about $7, 000 for the two events.

Already, Tour players and mentors have started lending support to the cause. Some of them include Femi Olagbenro a pro and the golf manager at Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate, Dominic Andrew and Gboyega Oyebanji, colleagues at IBB Golf and Country Club, Abuja and former top ranked players.

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