Golf
Philip Joe Paroma wins PAN Nigeria car prize at World class IBB Golf Club tournament
Philip Joe Poroma has emerged the overall winner of the 2023 Independence Golf Tournament and drove away with a brand new car from PAN Nigeria Ltd for the first time in the history of the tournament. In the process, IBB Golf Club also set a new standard of excellence in the game of golf in Africa.
After three days of high profile and tension soaked golf, Big Joe Poroma played an impressive 5 under to outclass over 400 golfers from Nigeria and four other African countries- Cameroun, Ghana, Rwanda and Uganda.
The Independent Golf Tournament which celebrated Nigeria’s 63rd Anniversary in spectacular style was hailed by fans and players as raising the bar in Nigerian golf and creating a more enabling environment for the sport.
The IBB Golf club tournament had as major sponsors: PAN Nigeria, Access Bank, BUA Group Sterling Bank, HOPE PS Bank and several others.
Big Joe attributed his victory to “a cool head, perseverance, a fighting spirit and a gorgeous golf course that is just such a delight to play on.”
The new winner pointed out that: “I didn’t set my aim at winning the car. I was just out to have a great game of golf and support my Nigerian golf team mates in outshining the other countries. So, I just let my golf flow and I’m absolutely thrilled that I won the trophy along with a gleaming new car from PAN Nigeria.
The IBB Golf Club Tournament, known for its competitive spirit and exceptional playing conditions, attracted golfers from all corners of the region. Amidst fierce competition, Big Joe’s unwavering focus and unmatched talent shone through, making him the star of the event. His precision on the greens and remarkable consistency throughout the tournament were key factors that propelled him to victory.
“This victory is the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and a genuine love for the sport of golf,” Big Joe expressed with gratitude. “I am deeply honored to have won the first prize and to have my name associated with the IBB Golf Club’s rich history.”
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the captain of the IBB Golf Club, Dr. Banjo Obaleye , said “we are determined to give golf its rightful place in Nigeria. Golf tourism to Nigeria is estimated to be over $16 billion. As a country, we haven’t even scratched the surface and at the IBB Golf Club, we want to be at the vanguard of changing the golf narrative.
The Captain of the IBB Golf Club and Chairman of the organizing committee, Mr Ibrahim Babayo noted that: “the rebranding and elevation of IBB Golf Club has only just begun. We are already and easily one of the best golf courses in Africa. Who says Nigeria can’t be one of the world’s top 30 golfing nations and attract billions of dollars in new foreign investment.
“The IBB Golf Club will continue to provide a platform for golfers to showcase their talents at the highest level. The club’s state-of-the-art facilities, meticulously maintained courses, and exceptional organizing committee have contributed to its reputation as a premier golfing destination.”
The IBB Golf Club remains dedicated to promoting the sport of golf and fostering an environment of camaraderie among its members. The Club has been a hub for golf enthusiasts since its inception and continues to set the benchmark for excellence in African golf
The 2023 Independence golf tournament has once again highlighted the strategic importance of the golf sport as a unifier
In the same year the FIFA World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a Thai golfer named after world soccer’s governing body will make his major championship debut at the Masters.
Fifa Laopakdee’s father, a devoted soccer fan, named his son after FIFA when he was born and that name will be on the tee sheet when the year’s first major gets underway this week at Augusta National.
“My dad is a huge soccer fan, and he was choosing between Fifa from FIFA World Cup and Uefa from UEFA Champions League,” Laopakdee said Monday. “So luckily it ends up with at Fifa.”
Laopakdee earned his Masters invitation by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai last October, becoming the first Thai player to claim the title.
He entered the final round six strokes off the lead, birdied the 17th and 18th holes to force a playoff, then birdied all three playoff holes to win — securing spots in this year’s Masters and British Open.
Laopakdee arrived at Augusta National this week as the first amateur representing Thailand to compete in the Masters, and was greeted by a locker in the club’s new Player Services Building wedged between those of five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods and two-time major winner Bryson DeChambeau.
“To be walking into the locker room today, and my locker is between Tiger and Bryson. That’s a lot to soak in,” he said. “I definitely took a picture of that.”
-Reuters
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Tiger Woods was surprised that he was being handcuffed after crashing his SUV last week in Florida, per body camera footage released Thursday.
“I’m being arrested?” Woods asked of Martin County Sheriff’s deputy Tatiana Levenar, who conducted a sobriety test on him.
“I do believe your normal faculties are impaired, and you’re under an unknown substance, so at this time you’re under arrest for DUI,” Levenar told the 15-time major champion.
The footage also shows deputies removing two pills from Woods’ pocket.
“That’s a Norco,” Woods said after an officer removed the pills, which are a painkiller. Authorities later confirmed that Woods had hydrocodone.
Woods contends that he was looking at his phone and changing the radio station when his Land Rover clipped the back of a truck and rolled onto its side on Jupiter Island, Fla.
The bodycam footage also shows Woods informing a police officer that he was on the phone with U.S. President Donald Trump shortly after his crash.
“Thank you so much. All right. You got it. Bye,” Woods said as he walked over to an officer who had beckoned him back to the crash scene, informing them that “I was just talking to the president.”
Woods is dating Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of the President’s oldest child, Donald Trump Jr.
On Thursday night, President Trump announced during a Fox News interview that Woods would not be playing in this year’s Masters, something that Woods had not yet announced publicly.
When asked about Woods’ crash, Trump said Woods was a “very close friend, saying, “I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty. There was an accident, and that’s all I know. He’s an amazing person, amazing man, but some difficulty.”
Trump previously told Reuters that Woods seeking treatment was “a good thing” and he believed the golfer was “going to be terrific.”
The release of the bodycam footage comes one day after Woods was granted a request by a Florida judge to leave the United States to enter a comprehensive inpatient treatment facility as he faces misdemeanor driving under the influence charges.
Martin County Court Judge Darren Steele granted the motion to travel submitted by Woods’ attorney, Douglas Duncan, who cited the 50-year-old golf superstar’s need for an “intensive, highly individualized and medically integrated program” away from media and public scrutiny.
Woods released a public statement on Tuesday and entered a plea of not guilty in a Florida court to charges of misdemeanor driving under the influence with property damage.
The arrest affidavit stated a breathalyzer test showed no signs of alcohol, but that Woods refused a urinalysis test for other drugs.
The affidavit stated Woods was “sweating profusely,” his movements were “lethargic and slow,” his eyes were “bloodshot and glassy,” his pupils were “extremely dilated” and that during the field sobriety exercises, Woods was “limping and stumbling to the right.”
-Reuters
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The inaugural edition of the Nigeria Maritime Golf Challenge will tee off on Thursday at the prestigious Ikoyi Club 1938 Golf Course, bringing together 81 golfers from across the country in celebration of World Maritime Day.
Organised by QUBES LLC, the one-day tournament is designed to commemorate the annual global observance on September 25 under the theme “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity.”
Chief Executive Officer of QUBES LLC, Lanre Bayewu, told journalists ahead of the event that the competition aims to showcase Nigeria’s maritime industry through sport while fostering greater networking opportunities within the sector.
“The tournament structure accommodates golfers of various skill levels and ensures broad participation from both maritime industry professionals and the wider golfing community,” Bayewu said.
The championship will feature seven competitive categories, including Longest Drive, Nearest Pin (male and female), Female Winners, Veterans, General Category Winner Net, Maritime Category Winner, and Overall Best Gross. Winners will go home with trophies and cash prizes.
Top executives and senior management of Nigeria’s leading maritime agencies, including the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, are expected to attend as special guests.
According to Bayewu, the event represents a strategic initiative to project the Nigerian maritime industry onto both global and sporting stages, while also strengthening professional relationships across the community.
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