Golf: Fund scarcity threatens Nigeria’s sole European tour qualifier

The prospect of Oche Odoh, top golfer, to represent Nigeria at the European tour this year may not materialise due to the inability to source funds in view of the prevailing Covid protocol.

The tour now requires participating players and their caddies to be accommodated in the tour bubble throughout the event while the cost must be borne by the players.

On Monday, TheCable learned that the Covid tour bubble model has shot up the cost for the participants to about 300 per cent — a development that stands between the players and fulfilment of their dreams.

Odoh, who last week shot himself within a rare entry into one of the world’s biggest golf events, said his dream is faced by a severe threat.

“I am in a very great shape and qualified for the European Tour with only three events, even when I needed to play 10. I thing this says much about my form,” he added.

As Nigeria’s most consistent top-three player for close to two decades in addition to being ranked topmost in almost a decade, Odoh said he would need support to represent Nigeria later this month in Kenya.

The Magical Kenya Open and Kenya Savanah Classic, the two events which will be hosted back to back on the third and fourth week of this month at the Karen Country Club in Nairobi, will give Nigeria a rare window to get a player into the second most lucrative tour and also get world ranking points.

Odoh has taken the campaign to save his qualification to friends and well-meaning golfers to offer financial aid in support of his plan to feature at the key event coming up in a few days. The cost is currently put at about $7, 000 for the two events.

Already, tour players and mentors have started lending support to the cause.

Some of the mentors include Femi Olagbenro, the golf manager at Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate; Dominic Andrew and Gboyega Oyebanji, both of who are colleagues at IBB Golf and Country Club in Abuja.