NAN-S-12
Golf
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Oct. 20, 2016 (NAN) Emeka Okatta, President, West Africa Golf (WAG) Tour on Thursday in Abuja said the body would host its debut event in Ghana.
Okatta, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) noted that the event would for the first time be held outside its traditional base, Nigeria.
He said the tour has been scheduled to flick off from Nov. 3 to Nov. 6 at the Celebrity Golf Club, Sakumono, Accra.
He revealed that Owerri was being considered for the Tour Championship later in December.
The president said that the arrangement was in tandem with the tour philosophy of establishing a pan-African platform to project golf talents to the world.
“The WAG Tour’s last four editions has been a huge success and we are hoping to build on it by expanding to new horizons.
“Ghana has always been a beautiful golf destination and since the logistics may not veer too much from what obtains in Nigeria, it comes as a natural choice.
“The WAG Tour membership also has huge representation from Ghana who are placed in high ranking positions in the Order of Merit.
“We are very positive of the future of WAG Tour and professional players of African Origin,’’ he said.
Okatta also revealed that the closing event for the opening season of the WAG Tour had got green-light to be hosted at the Arsenal Golf Club in Owerri, Imo State.
“Having hosted tournaments at the IBB International Gold and Country Club, Smoking Hills as well as Port Harcourt Golf Club, we thought Owerri will be a befitting venue for a change.
“The Arsenal Golf Club is a strategic facility in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria and easily accessible from four different Airports.
“One of the challenges we have faced throughout the years is access to golf courses.
“I think we have a fairer deal with the management of Arsenal coupled with the fact that the city has its own Airport and Asaba, Enugu and Port Harcourt Airports are also within reach,’’ he said.
He said that modalities regarding the venue were still been worked out, adding that the closing event for the year promises to be the biggest ever. (NAN)
VO/PDE
======
(Edited by Peter Ejiofor)