Golf: Torgah Survives Bako Charge to Win Lakowe Classic

Ghanaian golfer Vincent Torgah held off a remarkable late challenge from Nigeria’s Kamalu Bako to win the Lakowe Lakes Golf Classic in a sudden-death playoff on Sunday.

Torgah entered the final round with an advantage but saw his lead disappear after Bako produced the lowest round of the tournament, a brilliant six-under-par 66.

Bako carded eight birdies and two bogeys, using his strong putting performance to draw level with Torgah and force the $50,000 tournament into a playoff at the par-72 Lakowe Lakes Championship Course.

The final round had earlier been delayed by rain before the 33 finalists returned to complete the competition.

Torgah responded to the pressure with a steady one-under-par 70, completing the tournament with rounds of 70, 71 and 70 for a three-under-par total of 213.

Bako also finished on 213 after rounds of 77, 70 and 66, but Torgah eventually prevailed in sudden death to claim the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour title in West Africa.

The victory also earned Torgah a brand-new electric car courtesy of CIG Motors.

Although he narrowly missed out on the title, Bako said he was pleased with his final-round performance and his ability to fight back into contention.

Rwanda’s Celestine Nsanzuwera, who led after the opening round, recovered from a second-round 75 to finish third on two-under-par 214, alongside Ghana’s Ezekiel Afisco.

Cameroon’s Nji Pristhy and Zambia’s Sydney Joseph Wemba shared fifth place on level par 216, while Nigeria’s Odeh Alechenu, Mustapha Abubakar and Augustine Manasseh tied for seventh alongside Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo at one-over-par 217.

The Lakowe Lakes Golf Classic marked the first Sunshine Development Tour event staged in West Africa. The tournament attracted players from 10 countries and offered competitors opportunities to earn Official World Golf Ranking points.

The successful event also highlighted the growing opportunities for professional golf across the region as the Sunshine Development Tour expands its reach beyond East Africa.