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Nigerian Junior Masters debuts at Smokin’ Hills

By Christian Okpara Stories by Christian Okpara
24 December 2015   |   11:05 pm
The Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) wants to end the year on a roll. The NGF, which has had quite a busy year, will now top up the season with a championship that will bring all the junior champions together to fight for what promises to be the Oscars of the youth game in the country.

JuniorThe Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) wants to end the year on a roll. The NGF, which has had quite a busy year, will now top up the season with a championship that will bring all the junior champions together to fight for what promises to be the Oscars of the youth game in the country.
And what better venue for this pilot championship than the serene Smokin’ Hills Resort located in Ilara Mokin, Ondo State.

The competition, which is for players of 18 years and below, will run from December 27 to 29, 2015. Already, 45 national junior golf stars have been invited and registered for the event.
According to NGF Director, Youth Development, this event is open to national junior stars, who came first at the “national or regional championships, the NGF Awa Ibraheem Junior Open, Lagos International Junior Open and other Junior Opens held at Golf Clubs like the IBB Golf & Country Club, Abuja.”

Ekong revealed that the choice of Smokin’ Hills is because it is of international standard and can compete favourably with any international golf course.

The format of play, she disclosed, is stroke play, adding, the arrival/registration will hold on “Sunday, December 27, while the first round will tee off on Monday.”
She disclosed that the second round would hold on Monday afternoon, while the third place and final round would hold on Tuesday before the prize presentation slated for immediately after the submission of the last score card.

Also speaking on the Masters, NGF President, Nazifi Mohammed, said, “this event is fashioned after the winner-takes-all series introduced in the country years ago by the CMCL, and is being introduced to junior golf for the first time.
“What makes it interesting is that all participants will play on same level ground irrespective of age, category or gender, at the end of which only one winner will be crowned.”

An excited Emy Ekong said, “the excitement for me is having our number one girl, Anita Uwadia, travel all the way from America to participate at this event.

We are still awaiting confirmation of attendance by our number two girl, Georgia Oboh, who is based in the United Kingdom. They are both representing and making Nigeria proud at the international scene. “Unfortunately, we will miss our number one boy, Tokunbo Pedro, based in the U.S, who is representing Nigeria at a world event in Florida holding on the same date with this event.

It will be nice to see them slug it out with our champions here, who include, among others, Isife Godsmark, Odey Alechenu, Diana Osmond and Yusuf Adams. It will be like the battle of the titans.”

Ekong reserved NGF’s “profound gratitude to the chief host, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, the Captain, Smokin Hills Golf Club, Gboye Adegbenro, who is also Ondo State’s Commissioner of Works and Housing.

Most importantly, our appreciation to Mrs. Helen Prest- Ajayi, who ensured the support of the Ondo State Government for the event.”
She disclosed that the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee (NOC), Mr. Tunde Popoola, would be the special guest of honour.

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