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IBB Golf Club elects Ibrahim Babayo as new Captain and elevates Nigerian golf

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Ibrahim Babayo, new Captain of the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja

Ibrahim Babayo has been elected as the new Captain of the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja. This appointment comes at a pivotal time for the club, as it aims to elevate its status to a global level and make significant strides in the world of golf.

In his new role, Ibrahim Babayo has expressed his commitment to bringing the IBB Golf Club to a global level. He aims to position the prestigious club as a key player in the international golfing community, showcasing the talent and potential that Nigeria and Africa have to offer in the world of golf.

This vision aligns with the club’s ambition to put Nigeria and Africa on the global golfing map.

In his inaugural address, Captain Babayo pledged to create an unforgettable experience for partners and sponsors, “as we take Nigerian golf and IBB Golf Club to unprecedented levels. I trust believe that the game of golf can be used to write a new Nigerian story. And IBB Golf Club will be at the vanguard of this historic ascend. “

Captain Babayo also pledged to diversify the club’s income streams to both private and public sectors to improve infrastructure and service quality. “We recognize the need to diversify our revenue streams beyond membership fees to enhance the quality of our infrastructure, facilities and services,” he said.

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Another item on the new Captain’s agenda, is enhancing hygiene standards and implementing stringent environmental regulations within the club’s premises.

He implored the support of all stakeholders in making the Club a truly global golf brand name He pledged “…to serve with integrity, diligence, and unwavering dedication. Together, let us chart a new course towards a prosperous future for our beloved IBB International Golf and Country Club.”

Captain Babayo brings a wealth of experience to his new role, holding degrees in Estate Management from Kaduna Polytechnic and Yaba College of Technology. He is a distinguished member of the Nigerian Institute of Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) and the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).

As the founder and CEO of Cosmopolitan Cleaners Limited and the Former Chairman, Premium Pension Ltd. Babayo has demonstrated his commitment to driving positive change.

Joining Captain Babayo are newly elected committee members: James Eromosele Agbonhese as Vice Captain, Dame Julie Donli OON as Lady Captain, Bolarin Aliyu-Faniyan as Honorary Secretary, Gabriel O. Aremu as Honorary Treasurer, and Dr. Olarewaju Phillips, Social and Welfare officer.

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IBB Golf and Country Club, located in the heart of Nigeria, has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to promoting the country’s culture, heritage, and sporting excellence on the global stage.

The Club was founded in 1991 as an initiative of the Government of Nigeria (through the FCT Administration). It is a self-funding, members only entity, incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the Grand Patron.

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

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Thai Golfer Named After FIFA, Fifa Laopakdee Set for Masters Debut in FIFA World Cup Year

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The Masters - Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia, U.S. - April 6, 2026 Thailand's Fifa Laopakdee and Brandon Holtz of the U.S. on the 12th hole during a practice round REUTERS/Mike Blake

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.

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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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Bodycam footage shows Tiger Woods called Donald Trump after crash

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Tiger Woods performs a field sobriety test for sheriff’s deputies following a car crash in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026. Inset, President Trump presents Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office via AP; SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

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.

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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.

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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.

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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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Nigeria Set for Maiden Maritime Golf Challenge at Ikoyi Club

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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.

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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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