Nigeria’s Gift Willy explains absence from U.S. Tour

Willy

Port Harcourt-based Gift Willy missed the chance of raising his golfing profile after he dropped out of some critical professional golf tour schedule in Alaska and Nebraska late last year.

The Total Energy-backed player said he hopes to resume his international golf pursuit on a stronger note in 2023, but for now, he regrets not taking the chance that the Tour in the United States has provided owing to some contractual issues.

“I am very focused and have been fortunate in being one of the players at the forefront of extending the influence of the Nigerian professional talents beyond the local scene.”

The former number-one ranked player, who has played the Sunshine Tour and European Tour many times, said he is hoping to have some respite from his ongoing contract delay soon to continue to tell his Nigerian story.

“I was one of the players that promoted Nigerian talents in Gabon, Cameroun and Equatorial Guinea, and today, the level of skill and image the Nigerian golf has hit through our show of skill; we have opened doors for a number of youngsters in those environments now.”

Willy, who is one of the most prominent Niger Delta-born professional golfers, said Total Energy and a number of committed golf promoters at his Python Golf Club have made his purpose of promoting Nigeria through the game come through.

“We had a couple of us who took up the challenge of taking our skills beyond Nigeria, including Oche Odoh, late Ali Abdullahi, Bassey Bakare and a host of others.”

He said their achievements have opened doors for current young professional golfers, who now find it easy to get invited to big events.

“We have recorded a number of successes, especially being able to make cases with our skills for inclusion and diversity on