William Egbedi, of Air-Assault Golf Club Port Harcourt, has emerged overall winner of the 15th edition of Aba Heineken Amateur Golf Tournament hosted by the golf section of the Aba Sports Club.
Egbedi, who also won the tournament in 2012 and 2013, played 7-under over two days, to beat other players, including Emmanuel Onumajuru, the defending champion and member of Aba Golf Club.
The Port Harcourt based amateur golfer, who was excited with the win, stated that it will spur him to also compete at the forthcoming Governor’s Cup, which will also be hosted by Aba Sports Club.
He urged more youths to come into golf, saying that the game is not an exclusive right of the rich, stressing that there are different kits for all categories of players.
Defeating Emma Onumajuru, the defending champion and a member of the Aba Golf Club was a big feat for Egbedi, which according to him was not an easy task.
“It is not easy to beat a good player in his own course, so I feel happy winning here. I trained hard for this tournament, because I know that it won’t be easy to beat him.”
He urged government and corporate organizations to encourage the game of golf in the country, by sponsoring more professional tournaments.
The Heineken-Aba Amateur Golf Open Championship, sponsored by the Nigerian Breweries (NB) plc, is in line with the firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, geared towards giving back to the society, Nicolaas Vervelde, managing director/chief executive officer of NB plc, said.
He explained that sponsorship of such tournaments offers the firm, the opportunity to demonstrate her ever commitment towards sports development in Aba, Abia State and Nigeria in general.
Represented by Babatunde Jinadu, NB plc’s Aba plant manager, the NB plc’s chief executive officer noted that sponsorship of such games is also in line with the firm’s philosophy of winning with Nigeria.
According to him, “we have over the years been active in supporting Nigeria’s national development aspirations, which is seen by our continuous identification and response to major challenges confronting the nation, through corporate social responsibility programmes, especially in the area of sports, youth empowerment, and talent development, amongst others.
Geoffery Uzoagbara, president, Aba Sports Club, who was excited with the standard of the green-18-holes Aba Golf Course, congratulated NB plc for hosting the tournament on such a turf, which was achieved simultaneously.
He assured of his administration’s commitment at ensuring that the Golf section as with other sections of the club, receives the needed support of the management committee.
Uzoagbara, described the NB plc, as club’s best benefactor and thanked the management of the foremost brewer in Nigeria, for the sustained faith in the club, by ensuring that the tournament is played annually.
“We reassure you of our determination to ensure that we always surpass your expectations and sustain your pride.
NB plc, is the leading beverage company in Nigeria with robust corporate social responsibility profile and strong brands portfolio, which has remained undaunted in production of high quality brands for the enjoyment of its consumers.
GODFREY OFURUM
