The Abeokuta Golf Club Ladies Captain, Adetunji Alaba has advocated for participation of more women in golf, saying this will break the gender barrier in the game.
This, Alaba said would be achieved through government and private sector’s sponsorship and promotion of female golfers.
Alaba stated this on Sunday, during the 2023 Ladies Sign Out and In Golf Kitty competition, held at the Abeokuta Golf Club in Ogun State.
She called on government at all levels and corporate organisations to support female golfers through training of girls and sponsorship of female golf competitions.
Alaba attributed the lack of sponsorship for female golfers in the country as reasons for discouraged interest in golf sport by the female gender.
She listed some of the programmes to encourage female participation in the game of golf to include absorption of more girls into the ladies section of the club.
She added that the government should not focus only on football but on all other sports, especially Golf.
She said, “instead of the government focusing their power on football, why don’t we look for other chances, other places where we can bring younger people on board? We have young people that are lying there that are fully talented, but they got no sponsor.
“People go outside to represent Nigeria every day, we have international competitions lined up, and just because we don’t have sponsors, a lot of people could not go.”
The new captain added that her passion for the game to represent the country made her determined and focused on the game.
She confirmed that she will be representing Ogun state at the next National Sports Festival slated to be held in the gateway state in 2024.
She added that she will also represent the country at International competitions including the Ghana Ladies Open.
Also speaking, the First Vice President, Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria, Mrs Evelyn Oyome expressed concern that other African countries had been making waves in the game on the continent.
She said there was the need for more sponsorships and support from the government for the country to sustain her giant of Africa status in the area of sports.
Mr Evelyn who expressed satisfaction with the impressive participation of female golfers in the golf kitty said efforts should be intensified to ensure that females discovered at any competition were nurtured towards bringing Laurel for the country.
In his remark, the captain of Abeokuta golf club, Mr. Ladi Adegbite who noted that the growth of golf as a country is slow said the club had embarked on various drive to encourage more participation in the game.
The Ladies Golf Kitty which attracted over 200 golf players from different states of the federation was put together to usher in new lady captain of Abeokuta golf club.
Meanwhile, Halimat Agbeniyi emerged the overall winner of the 2023 AGC Ladies Sign in and Out Golf Kitty with 42 points, while Biodun Hazzan of Ikeja Golf Club won the longest Ladies drive and Lateefat Muhammed of Sagamu Golf Club won the nearest to the pin shot.
Folake Omoniyi won the Ladies member 29 Handicap with 37 points, while Biodun Hassan won the Guest Ladies 17 Handicap with 38 points.
