Ayuba Wins 21st Air Assault Open

With just one month short of two years since picking up the Professional Golfers’ Association of Nigeria’s Tour Card, Izang Ayuba of Lamingo Golf Club in Jos has won his second event as a pro; the first being the Plateau State Governor’s Cup in December 2015.

He beat Emeka Obi on play-off at the Air Assault Golf Club to become the 21^st Air Assault Open Champion, leaving Obi as the runner up player at the event.

“I worked really hard for this and I am glad it came through. I think the secret here is that I kept to my game plan of being on the fairways and keeping to my other routine. It worked for me, and I am very glad it did” he said.

Ayuba shot eight under par on the last two days to put to rest Akpodiete’s three-day reign on the leaderboard. He (Akpodiete’s) had crumbled under the weight of expectation that his position conferred on him finishing with 76, four over par to cancel out his four under advantage at the first three days of the meet. He finished in fifth place.

Patrick Paul and Kingsley Oparakwu both returned four and three under respectively to finish in joint third place taking advantage of Akpodiete’s meltdown.

Meanwhile, in the Senior Tour category, former Nigeria Open Champion, Lateef Lasisi literarily strolled home with the winner’s prize in the category where Victor Enaigbe picked the runner-up cheque with a distance nine shot finish while Matthew Lawrence upstaged Isa Balia on the last day for the third place.