By Emma Jemegah
Nigeria’s longest sponsored golf tournament, the Lagos Amateur Championship is scheduled to Tee-off at the golf section of the Ikoyi Club 1938 on Thursday November 18 to Sunday 21.
Bankrolled by First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider, the championship is in the commemoration of the 60th edition of its annual Championship.
The First Bank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship is a World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) listed competition that attracts the best golfers from the amateur scene, not only in Nigeria but across the continent and indeed the world. Participating in the competition contributes to the points for golfers to aid their WAGR rankings.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of First Bank, Dr. Ademola Adeduntan, in his address at the press conference to officially announced preparation for the championship said the landmark edition of the longest-running known golf competition sponsorship will include the Corporate Golf Challenge, CEOs CUP, ProAm and Ladies Invitational.
“The Corporate Golf Challenge for Charity will be participated by twenty-Five (25) corporate teams of 4 players to compete in a networking environment of corporate hospitality designed to drive corporate social responsibility goals. It holds on Thursday November 18, while the official competition will Tee-Off on Friday, November 19 through to the Championship Finals on Sunday, 21st November 2021.
“The net proceeds from team entry fees will be disbursed to charities under the FirstBank SPARK initiative designed to raise consciousness that we can choose to be kind,” he said.
Dr. Adeduntan added that the CEOs CUP is a newly introduced prize for the overall gross winner of the championship to recognise this indelible landmark and the unbroken legacy at the diamond jubilee.
The ProAm event, scheduled for Sunday 21st November 2021 is earmarked to recognise Professional Past Winners of the competition. Tagged Roll of Honour, the past winners play with invited amateur guests for a cash prize ofUS$5,000.00 (Five Thousand Dollars) as well as trophies and other prizes. The Ladies Invitational is a subset event of the ProAm, comprising female guests invited by the Bank.
Speaking on the landmark event the Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Ms. Folake Ani-Mumuney said “at Firstbank, we are excited to celebrate the landmark diamond jubilee of the Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship which is indeed the longest sponsored golf championship in the country and arguably, the continent.
She disclosed that FirstBank has been at the forefront of the growth and development of sports in Nigeria, cutting across various and notably sporting events in the country. “Sponsoring sports reflect our belief in the role of sports as a major vehicle for social development, whilst also being a unifying force of individuals, irrespective of language, culture, religion and social strata in any given society.”