President of the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), Otunba Segun Runsewe, is one of the happiest men around. His delight stems from the fact that the Nigeria Open Golf Tournament is returning after over 20 years.

The tournament is billed to hold between November 16 and 20, marking the return of the country’s biggest golf event after two decades.

Speaking, at the weekend, while outlining plans to reposition golf and raise its standards in Nigeria, Runsewe said: “We are very happy to announce that we will be organising a befitting Nigeria Open Golf Tournament, the biggest golfing event in the country after two decades of absence.”

The Nigerian Open was a golf tournament played in Nigeria between 1969 and 1999, at the Ikoyi Club in Lagos.

From 1997 to 1999, it was played at the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja, where it was last held.

Runsewe said the federation had taken time to prepare for the tournament because it wanted to rebrand the NGF and establish systems capable of meeting international standards with new social media strategy, website, insurance policies and a World Handicap System (WHS) index.

“This is going to be a new beginning for golf in Nigeria,” Runsewe said.

He said the federation expected more than 20 countries from Africa, Europe and other continents to participate in the 2027 Nigeria Open.

“We are just opening up a new chapter for golf in Nigeria and Africa,” he added.

Runsewe said the NGF was in talks with Lakowe Golf Resort, Lagos, as a possible host venue, with between 150 and 200 golfers expected to participate.

According to him, the tournament would be a 64-hole, four-day Pro-Am event with world ranking status and an Amateur World Ranking connection.