At official opening of 2024 tourney: SNH recommits to promote dev’t of golf.

This was during the official opening of the 2024 edition of the SNH Golf Open tournament. The event took place at the Yaounde Golf Club. 

The Adviser No.2 at SNH, Igor Emmanuel Soya Bissaya, in his capacity as representative of the Executive General Manager of SNH, Adolph Moudiki, presided over the official launching of the competition.

This was in the company of another top official of SNH, Nathalie Moudiki, the representative of the President of the Yaounde Golf Club, Philippe Lancesseur, other officials of SNH and participants.

Speaking at the solemn occasion, Igor Soya Bissaya, who doubles as the President of the Organising Committee of the 2024 SNH Golf Open tourney, explained that by resurrecting the event, which was last held in 2008, SNH is demonstrating its ongoing commitment to the development of golf in Cameroon.

The SNH official went further to thank the participants of the professional and the amateur categories drawn from around the national territory for their massive registration and participation.

A member of the organising committee, Ananga Christian, disclosed that SNH has always been very close to the world of golf since the early 2000s.

According to Ananga, SNH organised several editions in the early 2000s until the last one was staged in March 2008. He acknowledged that this was a very special year for SNH.

“We had a lot of work to do. Our intention was to help golf and golfers in Cameroon. That’s why we set aside 15 million FCFA for the professionals and one million FCFA for the caddies,” Ananga said. 

Ananga added that: “I think it’s the first time we’ve seen a private company organise a tournament with prizes at this international level. We hope that we’ll continue and that next year we’ll be able to attract golfers from other countries”.

According to Ananga, two professionals from Gabon are taking part in the golf tournament this year. 

He also added that there are other nationalities in the amateur category. It is worth mentioning that a total of 29 professionals are on the starting block. 

The winner will bag home the sum of 4,00,000 million FCFA while the second and third shall receive 2,500,000 FCFA and 2,000,000 FCFA respectively.

In the cadet category, Ananga said a record of 44 golfers are involved. The winner shall be awarded the sum of 250,000 FCFA while those who come second and third shall take 150,000 FCFA and 100,000, respectively.

The competition began on Monday October 21with the caddies challenge. The professionals will compete over a period of four days and the amateurs will play over two days at the weekend.

Enter representative of gold club

The representative of the president of the Yaounde Golf Club, Philippe Lancesseur described the SNH Golf Open tourney as a wonderful initiative.

Lancesseur was elated that SNH is once again a major sponsor of golf in Cameroon. He also expressed optimism that the return of the prestigious golf tourney will mark a new dawn for golf in the country.

He is also confident that in future years, they will be able to organise a professional tournament that can attract golfers from Europe, South Africa, and Morocco. This, he stressed, will greatly elevate the status of the sports in the country.

Golfers aim for juicy prize money

One of the professional golfers taking part at the tournament, Tata Lesly, thanked SNH for organizing a competition of such magnitude.

Tata, a golfer with the Tiko Golf Club, who has been practicing golf for 20 years now, with stints at the international level, disclosed that he is aiming for the coveted prize.

“I am very happy for the tournament. All the professionals and I appreciate the prize money. We thank SNH for this Open Golf tournament. I want to win. I am aiming to be the first,” Tata said.  

Another golfer of the Tiko Golf Club, Kelly George, who made his professional debut three years ago, said that he has been training for over a month and hopes to reap massive benefits at the tourney.

“Preparing for this tournament, I put in a lot because I know that SNH is a good sponsor and my objective is to come out with the talent of the golf game. I love the game. I am here for the cash prize,” Kelly George said. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3268 of Wednesday October 23, 2024