It was an exciting finals at the 8th Awa Ibraheem Junior Golf Open Championships as two siblings golf prodigy, Destiny and Funmilayo Oyero and the defending champions, Godwin Okoko emerged winners.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the annual cadet golf championships is being sponsored by a golf enthusiast, Awa Ibraheem, who also uses the tournament to mark his birthday.
The two-day event was held at the Ikeja Golf Club, Lagos, with more than 100 young golfers across Nigeria in attendance.
The 2021 edition of the competition, however, ended with the Oyero siblings wining in style as the six-year-old Funmilayo from Lagos won the U-8 Girls category while Ochanaya Omakwu from Benue emerged second.
For the U-8 Boys category, Oludara Sokefun from Lagos, won the 12 holes competition, while Ayomide Bello from Oyo State was placed second and Sunday Ediga from Benue emerged third.
Precious John from Benue took the first position for the 18 holes event of the U-10 Girls category, compatriot Jennifer Akatu came second while Anna Okopi was placed third.
The U-10 Boys category, Destiny Oyero won the 18 holes competition while Wisdom Onjefu from Benue came second and Jare Sokefun from Lagos came third.
In the U-13 Girls category, Christy Obomanu-Asisi, who emerged the multiple medal winner with one gold, two silver and one bronze from the just-concluded National Youth Games, Ilorin won the event. Solomon Favour and Peace Aduma came second and third place, respectively.
For the U-13 Boys category, with 36 holes, Samuel Nandon from Benue won the event, Tosin Usman and Ibrahim Oyeso from Ogun came second and third respectively.
The epic finals in the U-17 Girls category has the trio of Benue golfers as winners, Jane Ali in first position, Grace Agbo in second place and Joy Akafu in third place.
For the Boys U-17 category, Godwin Okoko from David Mark Golf Academy Benue successfully defended his crown as he emerged winner of the 8th edition.
Osiregbemeh Egbakhumeh from Delta came second and Mark Friday from Oyo State emerged in third place.
The U-13 Girls category winners, Christy Obomanu-Asisi told NAN that she was excited to have won the tournament which she came second in the previous year.
“I am very happy to win today because I came second in the last edition, so I told myself that I can become the winners, so I trained very well.
“I am also excited that I am the winner of the youth games because I love golf so much and my parents have been encouraging me. I will like to be a professional golfer,” she said.
The sole sponsor of the championship for the 8th consecutive season, Ibraheem thanked the co-organisers for a job well done and promised to continue to support the championships.
“I am happy to see this tournament grow from 40 participants to more than 100. This championships just came like an accident because I was looking for a worthy celebration of my birthday.
“I will continue to do more for the tournament in my scholarship awards to various winners.
“I am also taking the scholarships to a higher level by providing a four-year university scholarship to the winners that emerge from this tournament in any of the federal university,” he said.
NAN reports Awa Ibraheem also announced various mouth-watering cash awards to the winners. (NAN)
