By Emmanuel Daniji

Young golfers from across Nigeria displayed their skills and determination as the maiden Faldo GolfView Junior Golf Championship ended at Ikeja Golf Club, Lagos, with Joshua John emerging as the overall winner.

The three-day tournament, which ended on Sunday, October 18, 2026, brought together promising young players competing in different age categories. The event also received commendation from Ikeja Golf Club and the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN), with organisers describing it as an important step towards developing golf at the grassroots.

John, representing TYB International Golf Resort and Country Club, dominated the Under-21 boys’ category. He recorded rounds of 72, 71 and 76 to finish with a gross score of 219 over 54 holes, 12 strokes above par.

Oluwatosin Usman of Ikeja Golf Club finished second in the category with 228 after rounds of 76, 73 and 79. His eagle on the 18th hole on the final day earned him loud cheers from spectators and members of his club, who celebrated him at the end of the competition.

In the Under-21 girls’ category, 19-year-old Christy Obomanu of SBA Golf Club, Port Harcourt, took the top position. The third-year student of the Sports University in Delta State returned scores of 91, 81 and 90 for a total of 262.

Beatrice Onoja of Lamingo Golf Club, Jos, finished second with 264.

The Under-16 boys’ category saw Lewis Ikeji Dandyson of Sealord Golf Club, Port Harcourt, produce one of the standout performances of the tournament. He shot 67 on the final day, two strokes under par, to finish with 222 after three rounds.

Mathew Ayi of NIPSS Golf Club, Kuru, near Jos, came second with a total of 232.

In the Under-16 girls’ category, Josephine Benjamin of IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja, staged a strong final-day comeback to win. After rounds of 93, 84 and 79, she finished with 256.

Omowonuola Olarenwaju, also representing IBB International Golf and Country Club, came second with 260. She had led the category before the final round but lost ground after an out-of-bounds shot.

Chairman of GolfView Suites and Conference Centre, Elder Gabriel Olowo, who sponsored the tournament, praised the young players for their performances and expressed satisfaction with the successful organisation of the championship.

He also commended the Local Organising Committee, led by Emy Ekong, a former Youth Development Director of the Nigeria Golf Federation, for putting together the event.

Captain of Ikeja Golf Club, Segun Odunuga, also congratulated the participants and reaffirmed the club’s willingness to support golf programmes, particularly those focused on young players.

President of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria, Dr Lami Onayi Ahmed, described the partnership between Faldo and GolfView as a welcome development for Nigerian golf.

She stressed that grassroots investment was necessary for the country to achieve greater success in golf, just as it has in football, basketball and other sports. She also called on more individuals and organisations to support similar initiatives.

According to Olowo, the winners are expected to represent Nigeria at the Faldo Junior Golf Championship in Saudi Arabia in April 2027.

The maiden championship has offered young golfers a platform to test their abilities, gain competitive experience and pursue opportunities to represent the country internationally.