The 54-hole Sunshine Developmental Tour (SDT) Qualifying School concluded yesterday in Lagos with Nigeria’s Francis Epe emerging as the standout performer, finishing with an impressive nine-shot lead.
Nigerian players dominated the field, claiming 14 of the 20 SDT tickets on offer.
Epe, a former Nigeria No. 1 ranked player and the country’s sole representative at the 2026 DP World Tour’s Magical Kenya Open held at Karen Country Club, returned rounds of 73, 69, and 67 for a total score of 209 at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Course.
“I am happy to be the winner of this Qualifying School. It is an honour I truly cherish, and I look forward to making the best use of this opportunity,” Epe said after the event.
Dzadey Barry of Ghana, alongside Nigeria’s Bako Kamalu and Okoko Godwin, finished tied for second place after each posting a total score of 218 (+2) over three days.
Sunshine Developmental Tour Tournament Director, David Kihara, noted that the event aligns with the Tour’s vision of strengthening African representation on the Sunshine Tour.
“I think the golf potential of Nigeria and other countries represented here is understated based on what I have seen in these few days of organizing the SDT (West Africa) Qualifying School. The facilities at Lakowe Lakes Golf Club and the level of talent on display were impressive,” he said.
The tournament featured top professional golfers from across West Africa, including Ghana, Togo, and Ivory Coast, alongside the host nation, Nigeria.
Femi Olagbenro, Golf Manager of Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate, emphasized the importance of the Qualifying School in supporting the growth of professional golf in the region.
“We believe the exposure these SDT tickets provide will propel Nigerian and other West African professionals to greater global relevance. Lakowe is proud to support initiatives like this and looks forward to strengthening its partnership with the SDT in the future,” he said.
Other notable qualifiers include Andrew Odoh (Nigeria), Manasseh Augustine (Ghana), Vincent Torgah (Ghana), Tajudeen Ajayi (Nigeria), Udum Sateer (Nigeria), Inalegwu George (Nigeria), Richard Kouakou (Ivory Coast), Monday Eze (Nigeria), and Jean-Romaric Kouassi (Ivory Coast).
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