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| Lady Captain of the Ibori Golf and Country club, Ruth Orioko tees off during the Glo Golf Tour fourth round |
Ghanaians golfers pushed ahead by a lean margin to
emerge at the top of the ongoing Glo Golf Tour West Africa 2012 as the competition to pick the
N15 million prize money for pro golfers in the Asaba edition of the competition
became keener on Saturday
Top golfers from Ghana, Cameroon and their Nigerian
counterparts have been battling for the top position on the scoreboard since
Thursday when the tourney teed off. Nigeria had previously maintained a
stronghold on the leader’s board in the first two days of the tournament.
However, by Saturday, visiting Ghanaian
professionals, Vincent Torgah and Emos Korblah made very strong play on the
field to top the board after 18 holes in Asaba Golf and Country Club.
Torgah, who started the game with an opening 75,
carded a third round score of 2-under par 70 to lead the pack of forty players
who made the cut by two shots. Torgah’s game was helped by the Eagle he
recorded on the par 5, Hole 3. His total jumped to 218.
Closely following Torgah and sitting second on the
leaders’ board before going to Sunday's final, is another visiting golfer, Emos
Korblah. Koblah who is being tipped to win the Asaba edition of Glo Tour,
signed for 70 to make a total 3-day score of 220.
Nigeria’s former number one player, Andrew Oche
Odoh, who trailed in fifth place on Friday, moved up two spots on Saturday to
clinch the third place on the board with 5 over-par after an improved
performance in the day’s play. He is tipped to be the leading Nigerian golfer
at the end of today's (Sunday) final round.
Cameroon's Ebela Desire is also looking good for
the tournament's top prize. After some promising play of level par on Thursday,
he recovered from a poor play on Friday to clinch the fourth place by Saturday.
Ebela is still a force to reckon with in the golf
space in West Africa, recording one of the best scores on day three of the
competition.
His 1-under 71 pushed him to the fourth position
behind, Nigeria’s Odoh jnr.
Minna-based resident professional and Director of
Operation of Nigeria PGA’s, Martin Odoh (the senior Odoh) also found a spot
among the top five going to the final round of the competition.
The professionals are expected to improve their
score as the Glo Golf tour progresses. They are expected to do better in Sagamu
from next Thursday and in Abuja from November 20th before the grand finale in
Oturkpo from December 6, 2012.
According to one of the pros in Asaba, who pleaded
anonymity, Globacom’s grand entry into the sponsorship of golf has saved the
players from becoming rusty as a result of lack of tournaments.
He is excited that the Glo Golf Tour has provided
the much needed financial oasis to pros in the region. “There are not many
tournaments around, so we augment our income with coaching duties,” he said
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