Bassey Nets IBB Captain’s Cup as Abbo Bows Out

Oqua Bassey made a decision to stay dedicated to golf and it paid off when he hugged the limelight as the overall winner of the 2016 IBB Captain’s Cup in Abuja.

The former Cross River State Commissioner for Special Project shot 67 net to emerge as one of the several category winners at the valedictory tournament for captain of IBB International Golf and Country Club, Hamid Abbo at the weekend.

Two months ago, Bassey, a division two golfer with 19 handicaps, refocused on the game after political engagements took him away from the golf course.

The 59-year-old veteran, with trophies from past editions of PWD Tournament, Patrons’ Cup, Captain’s Cup plus the auxiliary prize of Nearest to the Pin during Ghana’s Independence match in 2006, described his win as dream come true.

“Golf is a very jealous game, you stay out of it stays out of you and when you come back, you need lot of concentration, commitment and dedication. I feel very good because it’s a fulfilment of my decision to come back and play golf and the only way you can show that you are a good golfer is to win a tournament like this. The outcome makes me feel very good and marvellous. I cherish this prize like the trophy presented to me by former Ghana President John Kuffour in Accra in 2006,’’ Bassey said.

76. Ahmed won the men division one best net with 70, while Sola Adebayo carded 71 to pick the second position on count-back at the expense of Oludare Bello. Austin Chigbo narrowly edged Tony Azogu to win the men gross prize. He returned 76.

SJ Usoro won the men veteran best net with the score of 83, ahead of both Samuel Anyamele and Sunny Gberevbie, who placed second and third respectively.

Abbo expressed gratitude to members of the club for entrusting him with the position of captain, saying that his committee was able to restore the golf course to world class standard through projects like widening and dredging of the waterways, rebuilding of collapsed perimetre fence, new walkways, new locker rooms and a new viewing pavilion at the upper terrace.

It was a huge turnout of golfers nationwide, corporate sponsors and well wishers in solidarity with Abbo for the manner he spearheaded the committee in the last one year.

The Lady Captain, Mrs Adekunbi Usman, who had also served out, described her tenure as challenging and not easy because of the constraints of having to run section virtually alone including every plan for all events.

Usman, who served the lady section in the past as competition secretary in 2007, secretary and handicap secretary, said that she would now have enough time to improve on her handicap which had remained static on 16 since last year.