SPORTS
Danladi Wins Africa’s 1st Indoor Golf Championship in Abuja
Becky Danladi of TYB International Golf Resort and Country Club, Abuja, on Saturday emerged overall winner of Africa’s first ever indoor golf championship in Abuja.
The championship which was organised by Olusegun Runsewe, the President of Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), had no fewer than 150 lady golfers participating at the Golf and Health Signature in Abuja.
Report says that Danladi clinched the championship overall prize after she returned a total gross score of 43.
She played off handicap 24 and returned a gross score of 14 and 29 in the indoor and outdoor event respectively which was the lowest total gross score of the championship.
She was closely followed by Tessy Johnson also of TYB IGRCC who grossed a total of 44 after returning 16 and 28 gross in the indoor and outdoor event respectively.
Staff Sergeant Maureen Apute, the Lady Captain of TYB IGRCC, overcame Nanwor Mamven of IBB International Golf and Country Club on count-backs to finish third.
This was after both players posted 15 and 32 gross in the indoor and outdoor event respectively for a total gross score of 47.
Susan Marcus also of TYB IGRCC completed the top five spot after she grossed 18 (indoor) and 30 (outdoor) for a total of 48 gross.
In the auxiliary prizes category, Maryam Atta-Bala of IBB IGCC won the prize for the nearest to the pin with a distance of 3 feet.
Marcus Susan of TYB IGRCC settled for the runner-up prize in the category with a distance of 4 feet.
The longest drive award went to Juliet Umolu of IBB IGCC with a distance of 278 metres, while IBB IGCC Grace Ihonvbere was awarded the prize for the best indoor score of 13 gross.
Dame Julie Donli, the Lady Captain of IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja, won the prize for the best dressed lady golfer of the championship.
Runsewe told Newsmen that hosting the championship – the first ever in Africa, was a thing of joy and pride for Nigeria.
“I am so delighted to see that Nigeria is making another first. The indoor golf and short game is the first of its kind in the whole of Africa.
“As the giant of Africa, we must take the lead. We cannot sit down and be waiting for other African countries to show us the way.
“So, what we have succeeded to do here today is the beginning of greater things to come in terms of the growth and development of golf in the country.
“This is the way other advanced countries grew the game in their part of the world.
“They started well and early, and that’s exactly what we are also trying to achieve here at the Golf and Health Signature,” he said.
The NGF President said that the course would be a hub for the growth and development of young talents in a few years to come.
He said the talents discovered would represent the country in different circuits.
He stressed that there was a need to start early and very well with a course like what was obtainable at the Golf and Health Signature, if the country intends to get it right.
“You can’t carry a child of 10 to 12 years to just go on the 18-hole Golf course.
“They need to start from somewhere to understand that short games are the first and sure way to grow and develop their skills.
“Under my leadership as the NGF President, we’ve been able to showcase the best of Nigeria, in terms of golf.
“I can tell you that even the ladies, over 90 percent of them are playing indoor golf and short game for the first time. So, it’s a beginning.
“However, we have embraced it before other African countries and it is indeed a historic and monumental achievement,” he said. (NAN)
SPORTS
Results of Match Day 2 Fixtures in 2024/2025 NPFL
Following are the results of Match Day 1 fixtures in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), played on Sunday and dates of the remaining fixtures:
Akwa United FC 1-1 Abia Warriors FC
Bayelsa United FC 1-1 Kano Pillars FC
Katsina United FC 1-1 Bendel Insurance FC
Niger Tornadoes FC 0-0 Nasarawa United FC
Shooting Stars FC 1-1 Plateau United FC
El Kanemi Warriors Vs Kwara United FC (postponed )
The following Match Day two fixtures
Would be played on Sept.
25:Ikorodu City FC Vs Enugu Rangers international FC
Enyimba international FC Vs Lobi stars FC .
(NAN)SPORTS
Match Day 1 Remaining Results in 2024/2025 NPFL
Following are the results of remaining Match Day one fixtures played on Sunday in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL)Heartland FC 1-3 Enyimba international FCKwara United FC 1-2 Niger Tornadoes FCBendel Insurance FC 0-0 Rivers United FCPlateau United FC 1-0 Katsina United FCKano Pillars FC 3-0 Ikorodu City FCSunshine Stars FC 3-0 Bayelsa United FCAbia Warriors FC 0-2 Remo Stars FCNasarawa United FC 1-1 Shooting Stars FC.
(NAN)SPORTS
Morocco 2025: Super Eagles can Beat any Team, Eguavoen Boasts
The interim coach of the Super Eagles, Augustine Eguavoen, said his team can beat any team with the quality of players in the team.
Eguavoen stated this after his team spanked the Cheetahs of Benin Republic 4-0 in the 2025 African Cup Of Nations (AFCON) at the Godswill Akpabio stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Saturday.
“We have quality players to beat any team but we respect team anyway.
Any coach can come in and do the same job with the Super Eagles.“It is a mindset, we have the potential and how you perceived your opponent, given the information about them and then go out and do the job,“he said.
Equavoen attributed the victory to the formation adopted by the technical crew, adding that any formation could be used to ensure that the team was successful.
“We can decide to use any system. It is something we discussed and I slept over it. I know with the caliber of players that we have, we can decide to play any formation.
“Football is about you win, lose and draw, I don’t believe we have a poor result,” he said.
He, however, said that the former Super Eagles coach didn’t do a good job but it has to do with believe, what is at stake and what you want to achieve.
“Psychologically as a group, we are agreed, where we are and where we are going to be. We will definitely achieve it,” Equavoen said.
He commended the performance of the defence , describing it as superb, adding that the team had been training together for one week.
The coach said that asking six players to warm up for the second half was to buy time, adding that there was no need to rush to change.
He said the Cheetahs of Benin Republic were a good team, adding that they came with a good game plan.
Report says that Eguavoen was appointed interim coach after the deal between the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and coach Bruno Labbadia failed.
NFF explained in a statement that it failed due to the stringent regulations of German tax authorities.(NAN)