An 11-year-old golfer, Toluwalashe Balogun, stole the spotlight at this year’s Golf for Peace tournament after emerging as the overall ladies’ winner at the Golf Section of the Ikoyi Club 1938.
Balogun returned an impressive performance, posting a gross score of 90 off a handicap of 24 to achieve a net score of 66 in the 18-hole competition. In the men’s category, Abiodun Adesina secured the overall title with a gross score of 90 off a handicap of 26, finishing with a net score of 70.
The fifth edition of the tournament attracted about 120 golfers from clubs across the country, including the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Cross Creek Golf Club, and the host Ikoyi Club, alongside participants from Lagos, Bayelsa, Ibadan, and Abeokuta. This year marked the first time the event was hosted at Ikoyi Club’s golf section.
Founded by Kemi Olowoyo-Otegbade, the Golf for Peace initiative seeks to foster unity, dialogue, and social impact through sport. She emphasised that the emergence of a young overall winner reinforces the tournament’s broader message of inclusion and accessibility.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
« Our purpose is to preach love through golf to every Nigerian and even beyond Nigeria, » Olowoyo-Otegbade said.
« What we are doing is also bringing attention to golf as a sport that children, adults, men and women can all play. I am very happy that a young girl is the overall winner. We have had young people win some categories before, but this is the first time we have had an overall winner. »
She further highlighted the tournament’s collaborative efforts with peace-focused organisations. « We like to partner with organisations like the Institute of Peace, and promoting peace itself is a form of charity. We are creating awareness and preaching peace. »
Chairman of the planning committee, Abimbola Ajinibi, underscored the event’s philosophy. « Our approach to tackling insecurity and unrest is what we call non-kinetic–it does not involve the use of force. We try to relate to one another and solve problems peacefully. That is the only way to make progress. »
Reflecting on her victory, Balogun maintained a calm and grounded perspective. « I just keep my eyes on the ball, stay calm without pressure and believe that the next hole will always be better than the last. I believe that if I win, I win, and if I lose, I lose, » she said.
Captain of the Ikoyi Club Golf Section, Afolabi Balogun, described golf as a unifying force. « When you play golf, you forget your troubles and worries. In golf, you meet people for the first time and it feels like you’ve known them for a long time. If we take life like golf–taking things as they come–you will worry less and have peace of mind. That is why we are inspired by this competition and what we want for our community. »
Source:
allafrica.com
