Daily Independent Online.
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Monday,July 19, 2004.
Ikoyi Club, three others for 2004 Cadbury Cup
By Taiwo Alimi
Senior
Correspondent,
Lagos
Winners of the last
edition of the Cadbury Cup, Air Assault Golf Club Port-Harcourt top the list of
four clubs that would vie for the
2004 edition. The others are host club Ikoyi Club 1938 (Golf Section), Kano
Golf Club and Ibadan Golf Club.
The competition is
billed for the 18-hole green of the Ikoyi golf course and would tee off on
Friday July 30 to end on Sunday, August 1.
Speaking Tuesday at
the Ikoyi Golf Club, the Head of Corporate Affairs, Cadbury, Gbenga Adebija
said the clubs were chosen after stringent scrutiny of all the clubs that have
taken part in all editions of the championships till date.
“The Cadbury
Cup would now be contested as a quadrangular invitational tournament as from
this year and all clubs registered with the statutory bodies in Nigeria were
evaluated based on defined criteria by a select committee.”
Shedding light on
the criteria for selection, the chairman organizing committee of the Cadbury
Cup Chief Akin Odunsi said the clubs were ranked on attendance as well as
outstanding participation. “You would notice that Kano Golf Club has
taken part in all editions of the championships while the other clubs that made
the list have won at different times. In-fact, we have a club like Air Assault
that has won the tournament twice”.
Other innovations
according to Adebija include the
Captains trophy that would be competed for by all captains of golf clubs in the
country except those of the clubs taking part in the championships.
“Additionally,
in the guest player category, a high-profile list of distinguished golfers have
been primed to participate in the tournament. The list includes past and
present governors, several ambassadors and captains of industry.
I would like to add
the company is fully committed to the development of golf in Nigeria to achieve
world-class standards,” added Adebija.
Clarifying the choice
of Ikoyi as host, the organising committee chairman Chief Odunsi said the
tournament would alternate between IBB Golf and Country Club and Sagamu Golf
Club and Ikoyi the full green courses in the country.
“In another
major first in golfing annals, there would also be a trophy to be contested by
captains of golf clubs in Nigeria. In the guest players categories, a high
profile list of distinguish golfers have been primed to participate in the
tournament and includes past and present governors, several ambassadors and
captain of industry. Quite clearly there is a loaded package for all golfers in
Nigeria as The Cadbury Cup reinforces its position as the pre-eminent and most
prestigious in Nigeria.
