Second edition of PGA championship launched

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The Second Edition of the Gold Fields Professional Golfers Association (PGA) championship has being launched in Accra.

The event will take place on 2-5 December at the Damang Golf Course, Western Region.

The four-day tournament is expected to witness the defending Champion Vincent Torgah who won the first edition and about 50 professional golfers in Ghana and other African countries including Cameroon, Senegal, Togo, Ivory Coast, Benin, Sierra Leone and Gabon to vie for the trophy and the prize money at stake.

The prize money for this year's edition of the competition has being increased from GHȼ50,000.00 to GHȼ125,000.00 where the champion is expected to take home 25,000 plus trophy.

Speaking at the launch ceremony in Accra, President of the Professional Golfers Association, Mr. Bliss Ayivor was excited about the prospect of golf in the country and expected a tough competition.

He added that, the association desires to raise the professional golfers and also aimed to promote the discipline at the global front but bemoaned the low level of media attention accorded the discipline which is perceived as a sport for the bourgeoisie.

He commended the company for coming on board to sponsor the competition and reiterated that, PGA-Ghana was formed to promote the national and international interests of Professional Golfers in the country while boosting the image and also enhance the skills of members.

According to the Executive Vice President and Head of West Africa Gold Fields, Mr. Alfred Baku, the company has been keenly involved in the promotion and development of sports in Ghana over the years.

He said this goes beyond their social responsibility in the areas of education, health, water, sanitation, infrastructure, agriculture and agribusiness.

Mr. Baku stated 'we decided to sponsor this competition to raise the level of our Ghanaian golfers because we see a lot of potential in them and we want to help them get to the very top. That's our vision and that's how far we want to take golf.

'We want to raise the level of the game so athletes can compete with the outside world. We used to sponsor the Black Stars but we stopped because we wanted to channel our support to other sporting disciplines."

The clubs expected to participate include Damang Golf Course, Achimota Golf club, Tarkwa Golf club, Nsuta Golf club, Tarkoradi Golf club, Tema Golf club, Royal Golf club, Celebrity Golf club, Beige Village club, Obuasi Golf club and Bok-Nam -Kim club.

Other sponsors of the tournament include Connel Mining, Real Mining Supply, Esco South Africa and Stellar.

GNA