No fewer than 18 countries are expected to participate in the fourth edition of the Dolphin Golf Club Ladies Open Championship, scheduled for Oct. 24 to Oct. 30 in Lagos.
Bose Onwuegbu, the Lady Captain of the club made this known in an interview with the media on Wednesday in Abuja.
“No fewer than 350 golfers from over 70 clubs across the country are expected to participate in the championship.
“As it stands now, a total of 11 African countries, as well as six other countries from Europe, America, and Asia, have already registered for the tournament.
“They include; Senegal, Mauritius, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa, Congo, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Sweden, Turkey, Portugal, UK, U. S., China, and host Nigeria.
“This has never happened in the previous editions of this Open and I am excited and proud to be the first lady captain to achieve this feat in the history of this club,” she said.
Onwuegbu who doubles as the South West Zonal Representative on the board of the Nigeria Golf Federation said that the tournament was very prestigious as it enjoys international recognition.
She added that the tournament would also bring golfers together from different countries, and continents to create an opportunity for them to network and build camaraderie amongst them.
“The championship is important because it has the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), which is an event where any lady golfer who participates and earns a good score will be ranked internationally.
“It is also an opportunity to relax, meet new friends, and network amongst ourselves because golf is a game of life, mutual trust, and friendship,” she said.
She said that even though the tournament was for the ladies section, it was also open to other categories of people, including men, veterans, professionals, and caddies.
“The breakdown of the event is as follows: the caddies will play on Oct. 24, followed by veterans and super veterans on Oct. 25.
“The pros will thereafter take to the course on Oct. 26 to usher in the arrival, practice session, and cocktail for the Dolphin Golf Club Ladies (handicap 29-36) on Oct. 27.
“The main event officially begins with the ceremonial tee-off for both the ladies and the men (handicap 0-28) on Oct. 28.
“The ladies (handicap 0-28) will continue with round two proceedings on Oct. 29 and then wrap up with the final round, closing ceremony, dinner, and presentation of prizes on Oct. 30,” she said.
She said participants are expected to depart to their various destinations on Oct. 3.
The lady captain also solicited the support of private and corporate organizations and well-meaning Nigerians in ensuring that the event was a memorable one for all participants.
“It is also very important for the image of our country so that the foreign players who attend will return home with good memories of Nigeria,” she said.