The Meristem Open by Meristem Securities will begin the new Professional Golf Development Tour that tees off its first event at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate in Lagos from January 26 to 28 in Lagos, organizers of the event have said.
The Meristem Open has a prize purse of N10m and would be decided over 56 holes.
According to Meristem’s head of Brand and Corporate Communications, Adefemi Taiwo, the Tour is born as Meristem’s Corporate Responsibility to society.
She said, “Nigeria’s athleticism, industry and sporting talent have long been evident in golf, and this project is set to help us underscore that. We are very confident that the PGD Tour can be a platform upon which the best golfing talents would get wings to fly and bring value and honor to all stakeholders.
“Meristem, as a wealth manager, will commit its resources; human, management and in a way financially to the Tour, while leveraging key relationships to drive this vision. It is for us, a corporate responsibility to help this group of athletes who have a lot of potential locked within them get closer than they have ever been to achieving their full potential.”
The inaugural event for the Tour is sponsored by the firm.
“With all said, the inaugural event of the Meristem Open is a statement in leading all our friends and the golfing community to join us in making this happen for the future of the game, the country, and a budding generation that is brimming with talent , audacity and wanting to re-write history,” Taiwo added. Golf Manager at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate, where the inaugural event would be hosted, Femi Olagbenro, said 83 professional players and category one amateurs have confirmed their participation in the inaugural event The Meristem Open.
Wole Abegunde, Group Managing Director, Meristem Securities, said,
“We are confident that the PGD Tour can be a platform upon which the best golfing talents would get wings to fly, bring value and honor to all stakeholders.”