Georgia Oboh bags first professional golf title at Cote d’Ivoire Open

It has started as predicted by golf enthusiasts.

Georgia Oboh at the weekend began her professional career on a winning note, beating the field to take the Cote d’Ivoire Open title in Houphouet Boigny’s country.

The exciting 17-year-old girl, whose game keeps improving every championship, decided to join the pro ranks after her exploits at the Argentina 2018 Youth Olympics, where she reached the business end of the competition. And she chose the 6669 yards par 73 Ivoire Golf Club as her launch pad.

Oboh finished the tournament with scores of 74, 78, 85, 78, winning the tournament by three shots ahead of Senegal’s Oumy Dieye and Madagascar’s Leslie Grandet of the Sunshine Ladies tour and a host of lady professionals from Côte d’Ivoire.

From day one, Oboh led the tournament with on opening round of 74 and subsequently led the tournament by 7.

Even when she hit a rough parch on days three and four, where she found her seven shot lead cut to three by the tough Senegal’s Oumy Dieye, a seasoned professional based in Morocco, the Ikoyi Club 1938 product rallied to maintain her path to glory.

Oboh’s biggest test came on day three when her five-shot lead was completely depleted in the first six holes, but she dug deep to retake control of the tournament. She moved once again to a three-shot lead again to separate herself from the field.

There was yet another drama as the third round was only completed on day four due to failing light on day three.

Oboh and the Senegalese had to come in early on Sunday morning just to play the last hole then wait until 12noon to start the fourth and final round.

The fourth round was eventful with Oboh’s birdie finish on the 18th hole to a great gallery of spectators, who came out in their numbers to herald in the new queen of the greens.

With this win, Oboh has become the youngest winner of a professional event in Africa.

The next stop for the Edo State-born golfer is the final stage of the Ladies European Tour (LET) School in Marrakech from December 16 to 20 in Morocco.