More than 200 golfers from across Nigeria are expected to compete for a total prize pool of N34.5 million at the 64th edition of the FirstBank Lagos Open Amateur Golf Championship. The tournament will tee off from November 17 to 23 at Ikoyi Golf Club in Lagos, showcasing top-tier golfing action featuring amateur golfers with handicaps ranging from 0 to 9, aspiring professionals, and club champions from across the country.
Highlights of the tournament include a BMW X4 as the hole-in-one prize and a charity fundraising event, with proceeds going to a local charity home.
At a press conference yesterday in Lagos, First Bank CEO Olusegun Alebiosu described the Lagos Open as “the oldest and longest-running bank-owned golf tournament in Nigeria,” underscoring its 64-year legacy as a symbol of sporting excellence and prestige.
Represented by head of treasury sales and derivatives marketing, Ayokunle Ojo, Alebiosu noted that the tournament is not just a competition but a celebration of tradition, community building, and inclusion through FirstBank’s sports initiative, First@Sports. This programme aims to promote talent development and social impact across Nigeria and Africa.
Alebiosu highlighted the tournament’s history of innovation, referencing last year’s introduction of the Search4Stars caddies competition, designed to nurture aspiring professional players, and the Championship Kitty for higher handicaps to broaden participation. The prize money was significantly increased last year, with the first-place winner taking home a record N10 million for a single day’s play—the largest reward in Nigerian golf.
Coscharis Group, returning as a key partner, was represented by its General Manager of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Abiona Babarinde, who praised the synergy between the company and FirstBank. Highlighting Coscharis’ portfolio of iconic automobile brands, particularly BMW, Babarinde confirmed the sponsorship of a BMW X4 as this year’s coveted hole-in-one prize. The partnership also offers opportunities for test drives, blending business with lifestyle and entertainment.
Manager of Communications and Corporate Affairs at Sunbeth Global Concepts, Abdusamad Abdurrahman, applauded the tournament’s focus on amateur players. He stressed the importance of such platforms for emerging talent development within a supportive environment and commended FirstBank’s leadership in driving initiatives that enhance Nigeria’s social and economic growth.
