Sponsors expect keen contests at Southern Sun golf tourney

The sponsors of this year’s Southern Sun Annual Golf Day tournament are looking forward to contests among the 160 amateur golfers that will feature in the event on November 9.

The one-day tournament, which will hold at the Ikoyi Club in Lagos, is co-sponsored by 24 companies which include Diamond Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Arik Air, British Airways and Multichoice/DStv.

Apart from the grand prize, which the organisers have yet to disclose, the winner of the hole-in-one contest will go home with an SUV donated by one of the sponsors, Mandilas.

“The particular hole for that contest will be made known on November 2 after due consultation,” General Manager of Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotels, Mark Loxley, said in Lagos on Monday.

Loxley added: “The best we can hope for on the tournament day is a good weather because the competition will be fun. It will also serve as a platform for business networking among sponsors and participants.”

Temitayo Buraimoh, representing Diamond Bank at the press briefing, said the competition would attract the best golfers at the amateur level in the country.

“From what I’ve learnt, the number of entries has been unbelievable so I expect a tough contest,” Buraimoh said. Golf captain of Ikoyi Club, Tayo Babalakin, said over 200 handicap golfers played in the qualifiers.The competition format is team play in which four players make up the team. Their aggregate score will determine their success in the tournament,” Babalakin said.

“The facilities at the club have been upgraded ahead of the tournament and I am confident that only the best handicap players will feature in the competition.”