350 Golfers Battle for Glory in Uyo

No fewer than 350 golfers drawn from local and international circuits are expected to battle for glory in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as the 2026 Ibom Open tees off on Thursday, June 4, 2026.

The tournament, which began in 2023 as an international amateur golf competition, will run until Sunday, June 7, 2026.

Speaking at a media interaction to highlight the event at the Ibom Golf Course in Uyo on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Hon. Usenobong Akpabio, described the tournament as not just another edition in the series, but a platform for participants to explore opportunities and take advantage of the event.

He described this year’s championship prize as “fantastic,” noting that Uganda Airlines has promised a business-class return ticket for winners of the tournament to fly to any destination of their choice.

According to him, “It will interest you to know that just like last year, when we opened the portal for registration, we were targeting about 250 participants, and within one week over 200 had registered.

“This year, we were targeting 300 participants, and within one week 350 had registered. We still have people lining up and waiting to be part of this tournament.

“The championship prize this year is fantastic. Uganda Airlines has given a business-class ticket to winners to fly anywhere the airline operates—it could be London, Uganda, or any other destination. That is a big plus for this year’s tournament.”

Also speaking during the briefing, the Captain of Ibom Golf and Country Club, Mr Isua Archibong, expressed satisfaction with the event, noting that it has become one of the vehicles driving the ARISE Agenda of the present administration.

He said the tournament has become not only an avenue for competitive golf but also a platform to showcase Akwa Ibom as the golf destination of West Africa.

“The golf course has remained one of the vehicles in driving the ARISE Agenda. We have taken golf to a different dimension. It is not only about coming here to play golf; we are showcasing Akwa Ibom as the golf destination in West Africa. This is the best place to be in terms of anything that has to do with golf,” he said.

In his remarks, the representative of Ship Afrika, Mr Ubong Ekwere, one of the sponsors of the tournament, said their efforts are aimed at promoting tourism and accelerating economic growth in the state.