The sixth CIO Golf Championship will tee off at the Python Golf Club, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, from Thursday, November 13, running till Sunday 16, as the organisers announced a groundbreaking partnership with Kenya’s Safari Tour.
Nigeria’s Sunday Olapade is the defending Champion.
Ikenna Okafor, the Chief Executive Officer of Keeves Global Leasing, sponsor of the event, said that the objectives of staging the event were being realised with every edition.
“We came into golf sponsorship to use this platform to support, build, and expose the huge golf talent from this part of the world. Year after year, we have taken bold steps to reach our dream of making this event the ultimate stepping stone to stardom for professional golf players from Africa to the global stage.”
Okafor said the partnership with the Kenyan Safari Tour, operated by the Kenya Golf Union, will allow participants to gain qualifying points for the 2026 Magical Kenyan Open, a Challenge Tour (a second-tier European Tour schedule, now known as the DP World Tour).
“We are exploring all ways to get the huge African potential in professional golf showcased at the global level,” he added.
With the development, this year’s event has extended the record professional winning purse it holds by announcing the sum of N75m for this year.
In the same vein, apart from over 100 entries from the host country, Nigeria, entries have also been received from Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Cameroon, Lebanon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gambia.
Junior golfers opened the sixth CIO schedule on Sunday, November 9, while caddies will take their turn on Monday (today). The event will also accommodate ladies, veterans, and club amateurs. Agency Report.
