By Steve Oma-Ofozor
Lagos
Mrs Bose Ngozi Onwuegbu, the Lady Captain of Dolphin Golf Club Navy Town Lagos has changed lady golfers to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship at all times.
The Lady Captain made the statement during presentation of trophy to the winner of the 4th Dolphin Golf Club Ladies Open Championship at the end of the three days (54 holes) round of golf on the course.
The Championship was won by hard-fighting Rita Izoje of Ibori Golf and Country Club (IGCC), Asaba, Delta State who is gradually becoming a serial winner of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN) Open Championship; she returned a gross of 261 (45 over) after playing 89, 85, 87 over three days.
Izoje’s closest rival in the second position was Love Ndareke of Port Harcourt Golf Club, Rivers State who grossed 265 (49 over) over three days – she played 86, 95, 84 to beat Kenyan Aisha Duba of Nairobi Golf Park who ended in the third position; the Kenyan amassed 267 gross (51 over) after playing 89, 90, 88 in the 54 holes game.
Incidentally at the trophy presentation on the Dolphin golf course, the duo of Kenyan Aisha Duba and Glória Mbaguta of Uganda who were the partners of the champion, Izoje, inexplicably excused themselves conspicuously in spite of all entreaties by the compare, Joyce Nule, who represented the LGAN President to get them back for the brief course ceremony.
However, investigation into the unsportsmanlike development by the technical lead, Jide Bolaji, revealed that there was a dispute over “ball on the hazard/lost ball” issues among the trio of Izoje, Mbaguta and Duba, which was later amicably resolved in agreement with all parties to Izoje’s favour.
The resolution of the ‘dispute was incidentally based on Dolphin Golf Club local rules even as every club is said to have its local rules that is binding on all players in any event.
Invariably, the course trophy presentation incident prompted the Dolphin Lady Captain, Onwuegbu, to challenge lady golfers to avoid attitudes that could bring the game to disrepute at all times.
“I’m appealing to everyone of us, lady golfers to be specific, that we should show the spirit of sportsmanship at all times at sporting events, whether we win or not; in every competition there must be a winner and everyone cannot be a winner.
“If you win, be happy; if you don’t win, be happy – cheer up with the winners and losers; in the game of golf, everybody is a winner, no loser because everybody must go home from Dolphin with something; golf is life and fun, no bitterness and no dull moment; let’s remember that sport generally is for friendship and togetherness; peace, unity and love,” the Lady Captain concluded in emotion laden voice.
The Lady Captain’s call for attitudinal change was timely even as the LGAN Open Championship across the country is sanctioned by the world golf governing body, Royal and Ancient ((R&A) of St Andrews, Scotland as well as the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) body.
Interestingly, the foreign golfers comprising Kenyan Aisha Duba, Zawadi Safari and Glória Mbaguta during the closing/prize presentation ceremony presented the Lady Captain with an East African artifact in appreciation for good hosting of the championship.
Recall the Kenyan Safari and Duba in an earlier interview with SOKOnnect affirmed their love for Nigerian food and Nigerians generally, just as Mbaguta had arrived Nigeria for the tournament from the start of the event.
The weeklong event which started from October 23-31, had golfers from across Nigeria and Africa, with prizes in all categories as Junior, Caddy, Best Net, Best Gross, Longest Drive among others.
The Lady Captain in her closing remak was quick to commend all stakeholders as LGAN, the PGA of Nigeria, the Navy and everyone who made the Championship successful, especially the sponsors.
