Ugbong, Ayuba Win Nigeria Cup after World Cup Flop

Golf:
The Nigerian team to the Pre-World Cup-qualifiers in Singapore definitely has nothing to cheer from the experience after failing for the upteenth time to qualify for the finals of the yearly event. But the nation's representatives at the event Francis Ugbong and Musa Ayuba has announced their return to the country in a spectacular style.

The two players featuring at the recently concluded national day golf Championship in Lagos finished first and second place respectively at the two days meet. Ugbong told nigeriasports.com that it was the only way he and his colleague, Ayuba could prove to Nigerians that they were really the best Nigerian to have represented the country at the World cup qualifiers.

"When we came back and not qualifying many thought it was our individual faults. Some said we were rusty. But this victory at least would confirm to them that we are still the best crop of pros in the country" Ugnong said.

He also attributed the failure of the Nigerian team to improper planning. "We spent two days travelling to Singapore and you could imagine settling down and learning to get used to the Asian weather there. We could not properly acclamatize in 24 hours" He also noted that as important as the trip was to him as a player, having to source for a sponsor was one of the greatest challenges that confronted his preparation.

At the national day event, where only the top 15 on the Nigeria Professional golfers, order of merit had featured, Ugbong fired home 73, 74 totaling 147, three over par. The score was one stroke better than Musa Ayuba's 148 carding which he shot to tie second place with another emerging prodigy Christian Godfrey of IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.

Golf: Odoh triumphs at MTN/Virgin golf

Nineteen-year-old Ochei Odoh proved he is an amateur player to watch as he cruised to early lead at the just concluded MTN/Virgin classic at the IBB International Golf and Country club, Abuja. The young Odoh, who was also a former caddie at the all-green Abuja course, shot a coruscant 73, one over par to set the pace at the weeklong event that rounded off on Sunday, October 12. His score placed him one shot better than V.M. Eze while Kaduna-based Bawa Umar trailed in the third place.
The Abuja version of the MTN/Virgin classic is the first of the trilogy of qualifiers, which would produce finalists that would embark on Caribbean tour of Trinidad and Tobago. Managing Director of MTN, Mr. Adrian Woods, had earlier said that this year's event would be an improvement on the maiden edition, which was staged in three centres last year. The golf section of Port Harcourt club would be the next host of the qualifiers in a fortnight before the train moves to Lagos. Also, Abu Odilihi, winner of the 2002 event, has indicated interest to feature in the Port Harcourt and Lagos versions of the golf classic.

Golf: Police Counts Roadblocks to competitive golfing

It has became somewhat familiar to find some officers of the Nigerian Police force mingle with gentlemen golfers at various golf meets. Particularly, the high ranking officers of the force are coming to identify more with the game, perhaps that could suggest the reason for the games listing on the police games' event. The popularity of the game has also reached down to the junior ranks of the force, which of late has produced some brilliant amateur players criss-crossing the nation to feature at golf events.

Out of the lot, however, corporate David Ogunseye and Constable Emmanuel Owosun have been consistent enough to be noticed. Ogunseye told the Sunday Sunsport in an interview that the junior police golfers have grown so much that they now have a police golfing body chaired by their senior colleague. He said: "I believe it is because we feature at more opens than our other golfers that is why people easily identify us as police officers and we don't hide our identify too."

The other factor Ogunseye did not bear in mind is that the two players have become more popular because their names reoccur at prize giving occasions. Between the two officers they account for about eleven laurels in just a spate twelve months. Emmanuel Owosun added that each time they win any honour they have formed the habit of returning the trophy or gift back to the force headquarters. According to him: "We are here on behalf of the police force, our being here is an official duty because our office gave us letter to that effect. "So, when we return back to the office, it behoves on us to give account of how we fared at own official posts which is the sports beat that we belong."

The two officers who appears passionate about their roles in the force said they prepared ahead of events and so have calendar of events to update themselves at all times. "As at now, we are seriously preparing for the MTN golf events, and the police games later in the year. That is where we hope we are going to crown all our effort this year and we are seriously looking forward to it." Ogunseye said. But unlike every other force which includes, the Air force, Army and Navy, the police duo says it will take a longer time to produce the first police professional golfer.

Constable Owosun, who has also been a caddie before noted that the encouragement given the golf team of those other forces need to be reproduced in the police before more development can be recorded. He cited instances where after release they would have to source for funds to honour important tournaments noting that the Nigerian police need to do more to encourage golfers in the force. He said: "We have had to turn down some invitations just because there has not been financial support. Hotel accommodate, Caddy fees, membership fees, clubs and tournament fees are costs that the force are still not helping us with." Ogunseye on his own recalled that he had to honour the Econet golf trip to Ghana from his personal funds before he qualified in the name of the police.

"We finished third in Achimota, but the force need to encourage us. In Achimota I had to join another team to emerge third best team at the international tournament but I brought my trophy back home for the force" he said. As for the emerging police golfing community, he said. "It has and would be a good development for the force. More and more people are being attracted to the game." Commissioner of Police Tunji Alapini is the president of the group, which also have Deputy Commission Chris Ola, Fidelia Victor, Olusegun Fitcher, among others as members of the team.