Gift Willy leads Nigeria’s stars atop Cote d’Ivoire Open ladder

Nigeria’s Gift Willy with a brilliant eight under par 64 is currently leading the field in the on-going Cote d’Ivoire Open on Wednesday. Also in the hunt at the President Golf Club in Yamoussoukro are Vincent Torgay, Sunday Olopade and Andrew Ocho Odeh.

A field of 67 players, most of them drawn from the West Africa region, are battling it out for the top prize of 8,689 Euro. The top 30 players and ties will proceed to the last two rounds where also at stake is the Felix Houphouet Bogney trophy.

The course is on the Yamoussoukro coastline with very beautiful layout and lots of water hazards around it.

At least 13 players shot one under and better, in a closely fought round where Torgah tied with Zimbabwe’s Visitor Mapwanya on five under par 67, while Cote d’Ivoire’s Richard Kouakou led a group of five players on four under par 68.

That group included Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi, Zambia’s Sydney Wemba, veteran Amos Korblah of Ghana and Olopade. Finishing a shot behind this group was another Safari Tour member, Andrew Oche Odoh, on three under par 69.

Meanwhile, Uganda’s Abbey Bagalana tied with Madoya on two over par 74. He is among those who were expected to put up a fight to try and make the cut in the event organised by the Cote d’Ivoire Golf Confederation.

By the time of going to press, the second round was on.