By Victor Okoye

The 2022 edition of the NLNG Golf Classic ended in Bonny, Rivers on Sunday with Victor Bright and Nnenna Ahube clinching the top prize in the men and ladies’ categories.

The NLNG Golf Classic sponsored by Nigeria LNG Ltd. is in its fourth edition.

The tournament began on Friday at the Bonny Island Golf Club (BIGC).

The annual golf competition staged inside the Bonny Island Golf Club, witnessed intense competition by no fewer than 120 participants.

At the end, Bright and BIGC Lady Captain  Ahube clinched the tournament’s top prize as they emerged winners in the NLNG Men’s Division 1 and Ladies Division 1 Categories respectively.

Bright played off handicap 17 and posted a 67 net score to claim the men’s top prize, while Ahube playing off handicap 12 posted an impressive 74 net.

Speaking thereafter, Ahube told NAN that she sustained uncommon focus and commitment while playing throughout the duration of the encounter in spite the stress of being a member of the tournament’s organising committee.

“With all the hardwork that was put into this tournament by myself and the rest of the members of the organising committee, I never imagined that I will win anything.

“So, I am very grateful to God for giving me this victory.

“I love golf. It is my passion. I just stay on the fairway, easy swing and that’s it. Nothing more.

“I don’t make it a do or die affair. So, I just swing with ease and I tell people just do it easy. That’s how to win it.

“I have consistently dominated this tournament and my goal is to continue to win for as long as possible,” she said.

She encouraged women to take to golf, especially young girls, stressing that it was a beautiful game of life.

“You don’t have to wait until you are old or say golf is for old people.

“You have to play golf because golf is life. Everything about golf is beautiful. So, the earlier you start, the better.

“You know in life you keep getting better. So, next year I hope to win again and I pray that the event would even be more successful than this year,” she said.

NAN also reports that John Olorundare playing off handicap 14 with a net score of 70 and John Taiwo playing off handicap 16 with 70 net finished as 1st runner up and second runner up respectively in the men’s division 1 category.

Lucy Eyo playing off handicap 26 with a net score of 74 and Nkechi Nwafor playing off handicap 25 returning a net score of 76 settled for the 1st runner up and second runner up positions in the ladies division 1 category.

BIGC Captain Abubakar Hussaini won the prize for the best gross men with an outstanding 77 gross, while Ahube won the prize for the best gross ladies with 86 gross.

For the NLNG Men’s Division 2 category, Goke Korede playing off handicap 22 and returning a net score of 71 emerged winner.

Akin Olowookun settled for the 1st runner up position having played off handicap 27 with a net score of 72, while Ekeinde Ohiwerei playing off handicap 20 with 76 net finished as 2nd runner up.

In the NLNG Women’s Division 2 category, Fortune Longjohn playing off handicap 34, returned a net score of 77 to emerge winner, while Gladys Tobi (hcp 36) with 77 net and Darlene Cobham (hcp 35) with 81 net finished as 1st and 2nd runners up respectively.

For the NLNG Guest Men category, it was Nurudden Halilu who finished tops after playing off handicap 9 and returned an outstanding net score of 69.

Williams Egbedi settled for the 1st runner up position after playing off handicap 1 and posting 72 net.

Joyce Nule won the prize for the NLNG Guest Women category. This was after she played off handicap 19 and posted a net score of 86.

The 1st runner up position went to Ochade Ajabor after she played off handicap 21 and returned a net score of 93.

There were also prices for best veteran men which was won by Samuel Ekong with 77 net (hcp 28).

BIGC Secretary Peter Igbi won the prize for longest drive in the men’s category, while Nkechi Nwafor emerged the winner of the same prize in the women’s category.

Babatunde Olaniyan clinched the nearest to the pin prize with a distance of 50 cm.

Talking about the essence of the competition, Philip Mshelbila, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria LNG Ltd. said the social element of the NLNG’s flagship golf tournament cannot be over-emphasised.

“Golf is not just a game. First, there is the aspect of physical fitness which I think is grossly underestimated by those of us who used to look to high energy activity and so on.

“It is amazing the amount of exercise you can actually get from playing golf. So, the whole wellbeing aspect of the game cannot be over-emphasised.

“As NLNG, golf brings another dimension all together and that’s the social element of it.

“So, the reason we are all here today, including our friends, people from our regulator and shareholder organisations and so on, is really about that social element.

“It is powerful and you cannot underestimate what that does to a community and that is something that I strongly encourage us to maintain and we will continue to do so,” he said.

He said that the tournament was much bigger than a particular individual, adding that it was what gave rise to the change in the name of the tournament.

“This used to be the Managing Director’s Classic but the name had to change to the NLNG Classic because it is not about the MD.

“It is bigger and much more than the MD. This is about the whole organisation and it is something which has played a very strong role in promoting the community here in Bonny and beyond.

“This is why we have people from all over the country who are present here today and that for me is the most important thing.

“There is a bigger picture to what you all do and therefore I really want to thank all the officials and everybody that participated in sustaining this community that we have,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to everyone who participated and ensured that this year’s tournament was a huge success.

On his part, the BIGC Captain, Hussaini expressed his appreciation to everyone who worked tirelessly toward the success of the tournament.

According to him,  golf has a special position within the context of the Nigeria LNG and its mission to help build a better Nigeria.

“As long as the NLNG is here, we will continue to try and help build a better Nigeria by collaborating, networking with all our stakeholders, shareholders, community and friends through the NLNG Golf Classic.

“Golf is a very unique sport. There are many benefits to numerous to mention that we get out of it.

“I believe golf has a special position within the context of the Nigeria LNG and our mission to help build a better Nigeria.

“Thank you for answering our call, coming to grace our beautiful oasis and spending your time with us,” he said. (NAN)