A former Governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada, and his wife, Farida, claimed the top prizes for the veterans and ladies categories respectively at the March 2022 monthly golf mug tourney sponsored by Lifemate Furniture at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.
Farida, with handicap 15 grossed 86 with 71 nett to emerge the winner of the ladies category. E.T Nienge and O. Okeke finished first and second runners-up respectively.
Ex-Governor Wada played on handicap 22 and scored a gross of 93 with 71 nett to win the veterans category with R. Odekunle and J. Udoh in second and third places respectively.
However, it was Ibrahim Babayo who emerged the overall winner of the monthly tourney.
Babayo played on handicap 19, carded 68 nett and 87 gross score to topple 224 other golfers at the one-day MUG tournament held over the weekend.
P.K. Lassa, who also played on handicap 19, grossed 89 points with 70 nett to win the best nett prize on count-back, while S.L. Makama and E. Owoicho finished as first and second runners-up with the gross score of 87 and 81 and nett of 70 and 71 respectively.
Speaking to journalists after emerging the overall winner, Babayo attributed his victory to hard work and consistent training.
“I’m very happy and glad that I won. All the efforts and consistent practice paid off today. You can never see it coming in golf because it’s always different every day, all days in golf,” he said.
“Today is a wonderful day for me, the sponsor has been great, the atmosphere was wholesome and we had a significant day. Being a champion is a memorable day in my life that I’ll not forget. It is a season of good tidings,” he said.
Babayo added that his shot on hole 14th earned him the victory.
“I had a powerful shot on hole 14th that got into the hole for birdie and if you know what hole 14th is in IBB Golf Course, they call it the PGA hole. I had a nice shot there that went straight into the cup. It was a television shot,” he said.
Representative of the sponsor and Deputy Director, Lifemate, Howard Gao, said he was delighted with the successful staging of the event.
“We are very fulfilled because everyone enjoyed the event and we are very happy about it. All the participants displayed their talents in this game.
“ Lifemate is a furniture company and in the last 20 years we have tried to be the best and now we are doing something in return to the society, which a lot of companies do. For instance, our company started small 20 years ago and we now have branches in different countries and we need to return to society. Sports is good for our health and that is why we are sponsoring golf and it will be employment opportunities. We will continue to do more for the society, this is just for a start,” Gao said.