Nigeria’s Sunday Olapade won the fifth CIO golf championship with a brilliant score of 271, 17 under par at the Python Golf Club in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Sunday, winning all three tournaments he has played this year.
Olapade shot 65, 71, 69, and 66 on each of the CIO event’s days to top the leaderboard, which included eight other African countries that featured at the N45m purse event.
The win at Python Golf Club sealed a 100 per cent entry record for him in three tournaments. He had won the Ivory Coast Open and Ghana’s PGA Championship in succession, making him the first player to achieve a treble across West Africa in a stretch.
“I am very happy and just want to thank all who made this happen, especially the organisers and the leadership of the CIO.”
CEO of Keves Global Leasing, sponsors the CIO Championship, Ikenna Okafor, said he was not surprised at Olapade’s feat, which only underscores how hard work and focus are essential tools for success.
“Olapade won the 2022 edition of the CIO Championship and watching him this year reveals the work he has invested into his game. I have some players I keep tabs on, and Olapade’s dedication sets him apart. I think he is a good example and he has thrown a challenge to the bulk of young talented field behind.”
Olapade’s winning score was five shots better than Wemba Sydney, the Zambian professional who returned a 66, six under par in the closing round to pick the runner-up spot.
The trio Monday Eze (Nigeria), Mapwanya Visitor (Zimbabwe), and Michael Bulabula tied for third place, returning an aggregate 280, eight under par for the event.
The championship featured 140 professional golfers and included 240 amateur players from different parts of Nigeria and Africa.
Director of the Professional Golfers’ Association of Nigeria, Tony Philmoore said that the CIO event is the biggest golf event on the Nigerian Tour in a long while and it attests to the growth that is being experienced in the game in Nigeria.
“This is the growth we have worked and laboured for and we are happy that the right partnerships are birthing landmark events like this. We are very grateful to all that made this happen,” he said.