Nigeria’s Francis Epe was the standout player at the 54-hole Sunshine Developmental Tour (SDT) Qualifying School concluded yesterday, at the Lakowe Golf and Country Club. Lagos.

Epe finished with an impressive nine-shot lead in the competition dominated by Nigerian players, who claimed 14 of the 20 SDT tickets on offer.

Epe, a former Nigerian number one-ranked player and the country’s sole representative at the 2026 DP World Tour’s Magical Kenya Open held at Karen Country Club, returned rounds of 73, 69, and 67 for a total score of 209 at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Course.

“I am happy to be the winner of this Qualifying School. It is an honour I truly cherish, and I look forward to making the best use of this opportunity,” Epe said after the event.

Dzadey Barry of Ghana tied with Nigeria’s Bako Kamalu and Okoko Godwin in second position, each posting a total score of 218 (+2) over three days.

Sunshine Developmental Tour Tournament Director, David Kihara, noted that the event aligns with the Tour’s vision of strengthening African representation on the Tour.

“I think the golf potential of Nigeria and other countries represented here is understated based on what I have seen in these few days of organising the SDT (West Africa) Qualifying School. The facilities at Lakowe Lakes Golf Club and the level of talent on display were impressive,” he said.

The tournament featured top professional golfers from across West Africa, including Ghana, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire, alongside the host nation, Nigeria.

Also speaking at the end of the competition, Golf Manager of Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate, Femi Olagbenro, emphasised the importance of the Qualifying School in supporting the growth of professional golf in the region.

“We believe the exposure these SDT tickets provide will propel Nigerian and other West African professionals to greater global relevance. Lakowe is proud to support initiatives like this and looks forward to strengthening its partnership with the SDT in the future,” he said.

Other notable qualifiers include Andrew Odoh (Nigeria), Manasseh Augustine (Ghana), Vincent Torgah (Ghana), Tajudeen Ajayi (Nigeria), Udum Sateer (Nigeria), Inalegwu George (Nigeria), Richard Kouakou (Ivory Coast), Monday Eze (Nigeria), and Jean-Romaric Kouassi (Ivory Coast).