Francis Epe defeats 125 golfers to retain Meristem Open title

Francis Epe has again emerged the overall winner of the 2024 Meristem Open Professional Golf Development tournament.

The Ikoyi Club 1938 golfer had grossed 215 scores to defeat 125 players to emerge the overall winner of the three-day event held at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja. He had grossed 67, 73 and 75 scores on each day respectively.

He was closely followed by Okoko Godwin and Sunday Olapade who were tied on the second position with a gross score of 216 each while Kabiru Mohammed and Elisha Markus were tied on the fourth spot with a gross score of 217.

Speaking during the awards ceremony, Epe who went home with N3.75m said he was glad to win the tournament for the second time in a row.

• Stock market opens on positive note as investors gain N665.98bn
• Oyome crowned 25th IBB ladies open golf champion

“I am so excited to win this tournament because I have been trying my best all these while. The CEO has been a support to me and wants me to win every event. Winning this tournament for the second time in a row,” he said.

In the same vein, Suleiman Adedokun, Meritem Securities Limited, again Deputy Group Managing director said the tournament which is in its second edition was conceived to harness the potentials of young golfers in the country.

“People have skills in the country in different sports. The question for us was to how to develop people with talents and skills and taking them to international level. That was the brain behind this tournament as we want to empower people and how to contribute to the potentials and skills of these people. We want to help unleash the potentials by providing that backbone,” he said.