Chukwudi Okoro returned with level par Saturday and gained two strokes advantage over the field with one round left at the Francis Olo’s Pro-Am Championship in Otukpo, Benue State.
The biggest threat on the way to recording the first PGAN Tour win for Okoro may not be the contendersin his flight; it would come from the flight behind him that parades two former number one players; Gift Willy and EmosKorblah.
Okoro will play his final round with Cameroon-born, Ebela Desire whose best finish since joining the PGA Nigeria Tour was a fourth place finish in Asaba; during the Glo-series in 2012 and first days leader Olapade Sunday who slided two spots downward to third since his first day lead.
“I have been here before” says Okoro, of his leading the field to the final round, “And I lost it to inexperience”.
He said having not recorded a win on the Tour has been due to how he handled pole position at final rounds.
“In the last two opportunities I had, I was playing my colleagues. I caved-in and blew the chances. I know better now and all I need to do is to play and beat the course and the game would be mine” he added.
Meanwhile, both Willy and Korblah have recorded enough wins between them on the course to give them huge confidence and a chance to give a fight from behind, since all of the players ahead are only looking to book their first win.
PGAN Tournament coordinator, Jide Bolaji quipped that, “On this course (Otukpo), nobody can claim to have won until the final put is made. It is a tricky course and it pushes you to the limit. If you snap to either fatigue or temper, you could lose control here” says
The Francis Olo Pro-Am is a debut event on the PGA Nigeria Tour with a purse of N7m (about $35 USD) and would be rounded off Sunday March 1.
Leave a Reply