14 African countries to compete for N45 million in CIO golf tourney

Players from over 14 African countries are participating in the fifth CIO Golf Championship at the Python Golf Club in Port Harcourt, Rivers. 

The competition kicked off on Sunday with prize money of N45 million naira.

The money purse also drew in a European competitor: Greg Snow from England.

Other foreign competitors are Nelson Mudanyi (Kenya), Ronald Ruguayo (Uganda), Richard Kouakou (Ivory Coast), Greg Snow (England), Bulabula Michael (Cameroon) and Luwis Abaga (Equatorial Guinea).

The rest include Prince Agyiri (Ghana), Njoroge Kibugu (Kenya), Jean-Romaric (Ivory Coast), Ooko Erick Oburu (Tanzania), Deo Akope (Uganda), and Mutahi. Kibugu (Kenya), CJ Wangai (Kenya) Presly Nji (Cameroon), Kossivi Aguavon (Togo), Brice Moukagni (Gabon), Visitor Mapwanya Zimbabwe) and Aloys Nsabimana (Rwanda), while Samuel Njoroge (Kenya), Sydney Wemba (Zambia), Dismas Indiza (Kenya), Jastas Madoya (Kenya) and Lamin Touray (Gambia).

They will join the Nigerian entries to compete for the 30 spots that share the winning purse.

Gift Willy, a Nigerian golfer and the defending champion, said his success in the previous edition would spur him to finish top of the pile once again.

“The CIO title has done a lot to my golf career. I must play well again as a show of gratitude for the support I received from winning the last title,” Willy said.

Ikenna Okafor, chairman of the competition’s organising committee, said the tournament aims to reveal Nigeria’s professional golf potential to the world gradually.

“We intend to position this championship as an instrument to market Nigeria’s golf potential as well as the hospitality aspect of the sport to the rest of Africa and the world,” Okafor said.