The captain of IBB International Golf & Country Club, Dr Olabanjo Obaleye has won the best place of the first category of the 2023 golf tournament in Cuba.
The tournament was hosted by the Embassy of Nigeria in Havana at Varadero Golf Club.
The Ambassador of Nigeria to Cuba, Benaoyagha Okoyen won the First place of the Second Category of the tournament and the closest to the pin award along with Mr Christian Ogbebor from 1418 golf Society, Houston Texas, USA in two separate holes.
Okoyen, in a statement made available in New York, on Sunday, congratulated Obaleye, saying he is an ardent golfer, who has won numerous prizes and awards in playing golf.
Presenting the award, Okoyen thanked the participants of the tournament, mainly Nigerian golfers in diaspora as well as those at Nigeria, for paying attention to sports development in Nigeria.
The envoy explained that the purpose of the event was to expose Nigerian golfers besides deepening bilateral relation between Nigeria and Cuba through sports development.
He also thanked the operational manager Prof. Pedro Klein and other management/supporting staff of the Varadero Golf Club, Cuba for the professional way the competition was organised.
Middle by the left is the Ambassador of Nigeria to Cuba, Benaoyagha Okoyen while middle by the right is the captain of IBB International Golf & Country Club, Dr Olabanjo Obaleye.
Earlier, Klein, thanked Okoyen, for promoting the robust interaction between Nigeria and Cuba through sports.
He recalled that it was the second time, Okoyen hosted a golf tournament in Varadero besides other Nigerian Ambassadors to Cuba and encourage this relationship to continue.
Obaleye responding on behalf of participants, thanked both the management of the Varadero golf club and the Embassy of Nigeria in Havana for the excellent arrangement made for the tournament.
He therefore called for more tournaments to be organised for the participation of Nigerian golfers.
Meanwhile, Oluloye Olukoya, a member of Ikoyi Golf Club 1938, Lagos, who is the CEO of Falcon Golf Development company, Lagos, won the second-best place in the first category, the skill contest award of the longest drive as well as the best gross score in the tournament.
Also, Mr Sivarasu Sennimalai from 1418 golf Society, Houston Texas, USA won the 3rd best place in the first category and Mr Fela Olawale from the same club in Houston won the second-best place and the longest drive of the second category of the tournament.
The top senior award was won by Mr Abimbola Shoyoye, a 73-year-old golfer from Atlanta, USA, who is a member of the Association of Nigerian American Golfers (ANAG).
The first- and second-best female awards went to Ms. Sarah Bulus Nkwariza of IBB Golf club and Mrs Patience Agbiki respectively.
