‘Ghana PGA understudying Nigerian counterpart’ 

THE Professional Golfers’ Association of Ghana (PGAG) says it is understudying the Professional Golfers’ Association of Nigeria (PGAN), with a view to tapping from its vast experience. 

  Additionally, the body, according to its Tournament Director, Emos Korblah, is also exploring possible areas of collaborating with the Nigerian body. 

  Korblah, who holds dual tour cards from both tours and is currently the resident professional at Otukpo Golf and Country Club, Akpegede, Otukpo, Benue State, while speaking recently said, “In Ghana, we cannot compare the level of development of the professional golf to that of Nigeria. They (PGAN) are way ahead in terms of organisation, quality leadership as well as that of tournaments.” 

   The tournament director, who expressed hope that professional golf in his country will benefit immensely through close association with the Nigerian body, maintained that this was the reason the professional body has started working closer with its Nigerian counterpart. 

 “We are re-working our PGA constitution framework and the Nigerian PGA’s document is serving a good model for what we hope to develop. Some members of our executives are also hoping to host or perhaps visit the Nigerian body to understudy it with the mind of proposing some other areas of collaboration,” he added.

  Korblah apart from winning the Nigerian Open at Ikoyi Club in 1993, has spent the last nine years as a member of the Nigerian PGA and has gained a lot of insight into the workings of the Nigeria professional golf body, which he says is enviable.

 “Today apart from South Africa, Nigeria is the natural destination of any African professional golfer that is worth his onion. They have a tour that is international in structure. I have won here many times and led the order of merit in the last three years and I am still welcomed.

  “What is most attractive (I guess) about the PGA in Nigeria is the dynamism in their leadership in the last 10 years or so. I foresee a strong future for them. And that is why in Ghana, we have decided to learn a lot from them now.”

  Korblah said that the quality of qualifying school process is also commendable and the PGA Ghana is hoping to also adopt the model for the next admission into the PGA.

  “In a lot of ways we are hoping that we can advance better leaning on the experience and the maturity that Nigeria’s PGA has attained. A lot of West African PGA (or maybe wider than that) will get stronger if there are more tours standing as strong as the Nigerian Tour on the continent.”