Four Nigerian professional golfers, Sunday Olapade, Solomon Ideria, Tajudeen Ajayi and Godwin Okoko, who are on Sunshine Development Tour (SDT) campaign will be featuring at the 2026 Ugandan Open at Kampala Golf Club, as part of their East Africa journey.
The players have been on the road since June, competing across the region and gaining tournament exposure, international experience and World Ranking points.
Their participation follows the Sunshine Development Tour Qualifiers hosted in partnership with Lakowe Lakes Golf Club in Lagos, which opened a pathway for Nigerian professionals to compete on the Tour.
Olapade believes the initiative has become particularly important given the limited competitive opportunities currently available to professionals in Nigeria.
“Most of the Nigerian players are idling now at home because of the state of Nigeria Professional Golf. But those players that took the chance at the SDT Qualifiers in Lakowe have had to leverage it for exposure and World ranking points,” he said.
Okoko has been one of the beneficiaries, recording a second-place finish at the ABSA Invitational at Ruiru Golf Club last week during the East Africa swing.
“I am very pleased with the state of my game, and especially grateful for the leadership of Olapade who has sacrificed his time and experience to show leadership out here. We are a team and my closing performance that earned me second place at the ABSA event was all due to the support and cohesion here. I believe I’m getting better and the next event will prove that,” Okoko said.
For Ideria, the experience is expected to count as the players continue their campaign beyond Uganda.
“From Uganda we will head to Kigali for Sportsbiz Africa Golf scheduled for September 11-13 and the experience on the road will count. I cherish the experience and I must commend the spark that triggered this off at the SDT Qualifiers in Lagos.”
Ajayi is also looking forward to bringing the lessons from the Tour back home.
“I have learned a lot out here and can’t wait to play at home in front of my home crowd and my sponsors,” he said.
Lakowe Lakes is extending the initiative by listing its flagship Lakowe Lakes Classic on the Sunshine Development Tour in October.
“We have further extended our path for the support of the professionals by listing our flagship event, Lakowe Lakes Classic on the Sunshine Development Tour in October, meaning there would be more at stake and we would be glad to have these players come to justify their exposure on the Tour and other members of the SDT East Africa Swing” the Golf Manager at Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate said.
Olagbenro also mentioned that another event, Alpha Bravo Classic would also be debuting on the SDT-East Africa Swing at Lakowe Lakes Golf Club in November.
The Kampala appearance reinforces the value of creating international competitive pathways for Nigerian professionals, with the Lakowe initiative straightening the pathway for global exposure for Nigerian Pros.
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