Nigeria’s top stars will today converge on the IBB International Golf and Country Club’s course to begin the battle for the country’s number one players.
The setting is the secondeTranzactGolf Classic, which may crown a new number one for the Nigeria professional golfing class.
That crown is currently sitting on Francis Epe’s head.
Epe is also the defending champion of the eTranzact title,but he faces tough challenges from some of West Africa’s top stars, including Olapade Sunday, who is currently ranked behind Epe, and coming from a fourth-place finish at the Cameroun Open last weekend.
Others include youngster Okoko Godwin, former Nigeria number one, Kamalu Bako, Kabiru Haruna Mohammaed, Marcus Elisha, and George Inalegwu. There are also Ghana’s PGA stars, including Bary Yaw, Augustine Manasseh and Kofi Owusu.
In all, 185 professionals, category one and club amateur players, have entered the 54-hole contest, which starts today and ends on Friday.
The event will have a mid-way cut after 36 holes, where the top 30 in the professional category will proceed to the classification round along with club amateurs on Friday.
According to Managing Director of eTranzact, Niyi Toluwalope, “These young Nigerians are full of potential. We are proud to have created this platform for them to showcase their potential. This is our vision, that like the Super Fintech that we are, to always promote healthy and innovative competition that will drive the country forward.”
The 54-hole challenge runs on the platform of the Professional Golf Development (PGD) Tour, which is in its second season.
PDG Tour Commissioner,Femi Olagbenro, said the eTranzact event fulfills the objective of the Tour in helping source professional golf events and keeping the abundant golf talent in the country engaged.
“This year we have staged three events on the PGD Tour, and the eTranzact is the latest. We are glad at the impact the event is making. Today the Nigeria circuit has become very dynamic because of the flair that PGD Tour has brought to the fore.”
