-Torgah, who carded rounds of 72 gross, 71 gross and 70 gross, held his nerve in the playoff to secure the landmark victory and become the first winner of a SUNDEV Tour event in West Africa.
-The tournament marked a significant milestone for the SUNDEV as its first event in West Africa, expanding the Tour’s competitive platform into a new region and bringing together players from across the continent.
-Following the Lagos action, attention now shifts back to Kenya, where Nakuru Golf Club will host the next leg of the SUNDEV, the Rift Valley Championship, from 25th to 27th October 2026.
PR AGENCY, NAIROBI-KENYA.
Ghana’s Vincent Torgah held off a stunning final-round charge from Nigeria’s Kamalu Bako before prevailing in a sudden-death playoff to win the Lakowe Lakes Golf Classic, claiming the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour title in West Africa over the weekend.
Torgah appeared to be on course for a straightforward victory before Bako produced a sensational final round, carding a six-under-par 66 gross to erase the deficit and force a playoff.
Torgah shot a final-round 70 gross to finish the regulation 54 holes on three-under-par 213 gross, matching Bako’s 213 gross after the Nigerian closed with the lowest round of the tournament.
The final round was delayed by rain before the 33 finalists returned to action, but Bako quickly provided the day’s biggest statement, firing eight birdies against two bogeys.
His strong putting allowed him to steadily close the gap on Torgah and draw level at the top of the leaderboard.
Torgah, who carded rounds of 72 gross, 71 gross and 70 gross, held his nerve in the playoff to secure the landmark victory and become the first winner of a SUNDEV Tour event in West Africa.
“It feels great to win, especially in such a competitive field and in a tournament that marks the Sunshine Development Tour’s first event in West Africa. Kamalu played an incredible final round and put me under a lot of pressure, so I knew I had to stay patient and trust my game in the playoff. I am very happy to come away with the win and hopefully this is the beginning of many more opportunities,” said Torgah.
Despite falling short in sudden death, Bako was pleased with the performance that put him in contention for the title.
“I wished I could have executed the sudden death play better, but I was happy with my round where I putted well and was able to produce a six-under-par that gave me the chance at the title,” said Bako.
Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera, who led after the opening round, recovered from a second-round 75 gross with a final-round 70 gross to finish third on two-under-par 214 gross, tied with Ghana’s Ezekiel Afisco, who also finished on 214 gross.
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, together with Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo, tied for seventh on one-over-par 217 gross.
The tournament marked a significant milestone for the SUNDEV as its first event in West Africa, expanding the Tour’s competitive platform into a new region and bringing together players from across the continent.
The event attracted a 139-player field representing 10 countries and offered professionals an opportunity to compete for a share of the US$50,000 prize fund, alongside valuable Official World Golf Ranking points and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points.
Following the Lagos action, attention now shifts back to Kenya, where Nakuru Golf Club will host the next leg of the Sunshine Development Tour, the Rift Valley Championship, from 25th to 27th October 2026.
The Tour will then return to Nigeria from 18th to 21st November 2026 for the Alpha Bravo Golf Classic at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate, continuing the Tour’s expansion and providing more competitive opportunities for players across the region.
ENDS.
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