From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Domestic and foreign golfers from Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Togo and other countries, numbering over 150 will, next week, jostle for a whooping amount of N20 million price money for the second edition of eTransact golf classic.
The organisers and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Niyi Toluwalope, made the disclosure at a press conference to herald the weeklong tournament at the IBB International Golf Club in Abuja on Friday.
Tournament Commissioner, Femi Olagbenro, who provided statistics for the tournament, disclosed that over 100 golfers from Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Togo and Senegal have already indicated interests and registered as at this week to participate.
While announcing that they are expecting pros currently involved in a tournament in Cameroon to start registration when they return on Monday, the organisers also revealed that the overral winner of the classic will smile to the bank with price money of N3 million.
“This year, we are re-affirming our commitment to this noble sporting event and all that it has to offer. We have taken our support a notch higher by introducing some exciting changes around the event. The prize purse has increased significantly. Which is a further demonstration of our commitment to make the Classic more competitive and attract the absolute best of golfers to perform at this stage.
“We strongly believe Abuja being the symbol of Nigeria’s unity, provides the platform for everyone to compete favorably. From May 15th–17th, over 100 professional and amateurs golfers will compete for honours at this exclusive course, where nature meets golf.
“For us at eTranzact, this is not just an investment in sports, it is a clear demonstration of our resolve to keep supporting and providing innovative solutions and platforms to help businesses to succeed in the marketplace.
“This is in line with our vision, “to be the preferred integrated financial technology platform for merchants and consumers. We are leveraging on our homegrown, world-class switching and payment processing platform to facilitate business successes across all sectors of the economy,” the eTransact boss, said.
“Currently, we have our time trying to manage registration for the professionals. We have over 100 golfers from Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Togo, and Senegal as registered countries. The pros are actively involved in Cameroon at the moment, so we expect them back by Monday.
“For the prize money, last year, we launched with an all-time championship price money for the golf professionals and this year with our sponsor’s support, our price money has doubled. So, this year we are playing for N20 million,” the organisers disclosed.
Captain of the golf club, Ibrahim Babayo, assured the participants that; “You will have the best facility to play golf. We all have all facilities at your disposal and we appreciate the partnership. It will go all the way it will be a lifetime partnership and we travel this journey together.”
