Zimbabwe’s Mapwanya seals deal at Lakowe for second B&E Matchplay win

By Victor Okoye

Zimbabwe’s Visitor Mapwanya on Friday emerged winner of the 2019 B & E Matchplay at Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estates in Lagos.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the golf tournament which teed off at the prestigious Lakowe Lakes Golf Course in Lekki on Tuesday came to end on Friday.

Edwin Osuhor, Tournament Director of the African Tour, said it was all over when Mapwanya walked in his 25-foot eagle putt on the 17th green for a second B&E title after winning the 2017 edition.

“The Zimbabwean gave a heavy fist pump as his golf ball dropped down the center of the cup, extending his lead over Emos korblah to five shots at the penultimate hole.

“Victory all but secured a second B&E Matchplay title for him in Lakowe.

“Mapwanya shot eleven_under_par 277 for the week in Lagos and overcame a rocky final-round start to lock up the five-shot win.

“All this just weeks after playing second fiddle to Ghana’s Vincent Torgah at the 1st October Championship held at the Port-Harcourt Golf Club in Rivers State,” he said.

Osuhor noted that Mapwanya had finished inside the top 5 in each of his last three starts in Lakowe , including six consecutive top-10s in the 2017 & 2018 seasons.

NAN also reports that it was the third African Tour win overall for the 28 year-old and it came at a befitting venue.

The Lakowe Lakes course which is lined with Arecaceae trees is one of the tightest courses in Nigeria and a place where accuracy still counts for something, unlike many of today’s bomber-friendly layouts around the West African region.

The tournament director also said that Ghana’s veteran golfer Emos Korblah settled for a second place finish as experience definitely counted for something.

“Korblah posted a solo second finish at age 56, with a cumulative score of 282 representing six_under par over 72 holes.

“Solomon Ideriah who briefly held a first round lead had a great show as the Port-Harcourt based professional posted a two_under_70 in the final round and finished solo third at 4_under.

“Round two leaders Nigeria’s Sunday Olapade and Ghana’s Kwame Ligbidi were tied_4th at 1_under, after the duo carded 73 and 72 respectively in the final round.

“Both players posted a total of 277 gross over four days of golfing action,” he said.

He added that Nigeria’s teenage female golf sensation, Georgia Oboh returned to the club house on the final day with a one over par 73, an improvement on her previous three rounds of 78,77, and 77 for a 19th place finish.

The 18-year-old lady professional was quoted as saying that she believed that there was an improvement in her game.

“I’m only trying to build my game ahead of the Olympic games. The plan is to represent Nigeria in Tokyo 2020 or Paris in 2024, and I think I’m improving,” Oboh was quoted as saying.

Twenty-two players made the cut as the tour continues to validate its credibility with only the best players within the region throwing their hats in the ring, while competing for purse prizes.

Up next on the Tour is the ‘Nigeria Masters’ in November. (NAN)