Nigerian Open (golf)
Encyclopedia
The Nigerian Open is a golf
tournament in Nigeria
. Founded in 1969, it was a Challenge Tour
event between 1990 and 1993, having previously been part of what was known as the Safari Tour.
The Safari Tour can be traced back to the sixties, when British professionals escaped the northern European winter and taught at clubs throughout Africa. Many of the professionals also took their assistants with them to gain extra experience, and as the numbers involved in these tours increased, so events in the host countries evolved. The driving force behind the African events was Dai Rees
, who would liaise with local sponsors and organisers on behalf of the professionals. By 1975 the size of the Safari Tour had become too much to administer, and so the European Tournament Players' Division (now known as European Tour
) took over the representation of the professionals. As the European Tour began to expand its schedule globally, in 1991 the five Safari Tour events became part of the developmental Challenge Tour.
In 1981, England
's Peter Tupling set the record low 72 hole score in professional tournament golf, when he won the title with a 29 under par total of 255. Notable past champions include major winners Vijay Singh
and Sandy Lyle
and former Ryder Cup player Gordon J. Brand
.
Year in brackets indicates Challenge Tour season.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
tournament in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Founded in 1969, it was a Challenge Tour
Challenge Tour
The Challenge Tour is the second tier men's professional golf tour in Europe. It is operated by the PGA European Tour and as with on the main European Tour and the European Seniors Tour, some of the events are played outside of Europe...
event between 1990 and 1993, having previously been part of what was known as the Safari Tour.
The Safari Tour can be traced back to the sixties, when British professionals escaped the northern European winter and taught at clubs throughout Africa. Many of the professionals also took their assistants with them to gain extra experience, and as the numbers involved in these tours increased, so events in the host countries evolved. The driving force behind the African events was Dai Rees
Dai Rees
David James Rees, CBE was one of the Britain's leading golfers either side of World War II.The winner of many prestigious tournaments in Britain, Europe and farther afield, Rees is best remembered as the captain of the Great Britain Ryder Cup team which defeated the United States at Lindrick Golf...
, who would liaise with local sponsors and organisers on behalf of the professionals. By 1975 the size of the Safari Tour had become too much to administer, and so the European Tournament Players' Division (now known as European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
) took over the representation of the professionals. As the European Tour began to expand its schedule globally, in 1991 the five Safari Tour events became part of the developmental Challenge Tour.
In 1981, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
's Peter Tupling set the record low 72 hole score in professional tournament golf, when he won the title with a 29 under par total of 255. Notable past champions include major winners Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
and Sandy Lyle
Sandy Lyle
Alexander Walter Barr "Sandy" Lyle, MBE is a Scottish professional golfer. Lyle has won two major championships during his career. Along with Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, he became one of Britain's top golfers during the 1980s...
and former Ryder Cup player Gordon J. Brand
Gordon J. Brand
Gordon John Brand is an English professional golfer.Brand turned professional in 1976 and enjoyed full playing privileges on the European Tour for 20 years. During his time on tour, he finished inside the top 30 on the Order of Merit seven times and inside the top-100 16 times...
.
Winners
- This list of winners is incomplete.
Year Venue Winner Score 1998 
José CanteroJosé CanteroJosé María Cantero is an Argentine professional golfer who currently plays on both the TPG Tour and the Tour de las Americas....
1995 
Lateef Lasisi 1994 1993 Ikoyi Club 1938 
Gordon Manson 274 1992 No tournament due to rescheduling 1991
(1992)Ikoyi Club 1938 
James LebbieJames LebbieJames Lebbie is a professional golfer born in Sierra Leone.Lebbie is a touring and teaching professional and a member of the Sierra Leone PGA. He is Sierra Leone's most successful professional golfer. He played in many tournaments on Europe's second tier Challenge Tour, mainly those held in Africa,...
270 1990
(1991)Ikoyi Club 1938 
Wayne Stephens 1989 
Vijay SinghVijay SinghVijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
1988 Vijay SinghVijay SinghVijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
1987 1986 Gordon J. BrandGordon J. BrandGordon John Brand is an English professional golfer.Brand turned professional in 1976 and enjoyed full playing privileges on the European Tour for 20 years. During his time on tour, he finished inside the top 30 on the Order of Merit seven times and inside the top-100 16 times...
1985 Ikoyi Club 1938 Bill LongmuirBill LongmuirWilliam George Longmuir is a British professional golfer.Longmuir was born in Thundersley, Essex, England to Scottish parents. Despite having lived in England all his life, he regards himself as Scottish and is classified as such for international competition...
277 1984 Ewan Murray 1983 Gordon J. BrandGordon J. BrandGordon John Brand is an English professional golfer.Brand turned professional in 1976 and enjoyed full playing privileges on the European Tour for 20 years. During his time on tour, he finished inside the top 30 on the Order of Merit seven times and inside the top-100 16 times...
1982 David Jagger 1981 Peter Tupling 255 1980 Bill LongmuirBill LongmuirWilliam George Longmuir is a British professional golfer.Longmuir was born in Thundersley, Essex, England to Scottish parents. Despite having lived in England all his life, he regards himself as Scottish and is classified as such for international competition...
1979 John MorganJohn Morgan (golfer)John Morgan was an English professional golfer who competed on the European Tour in the 1970s and 80s....
1978 Sandy LyleSandy LyleAlexander Walter Barr "Sandy" Lyle, MBE is a Scottish professional golfer. Lyle has won two major championships during his career. Along with Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, he became one of Britain's top golfers during the 1980s...
1977 David Jagger 1976 Bill LongmuirBill LongmuirWilliam George Longmuir is a British professional golfer.Longmuir was born in Thundersley, Essex, England to Scottish parents. Despite having lived in England all his life, he regards himself as Scottish and is classified as such for international competition...
1975 David Jagger 1974 
Jack NewtonJack NewtonJack Newton OAM is a former Australian professional golfer.-Golf career:Newton was born in Cessnock, New South Wales. He was one of Australia's most successful golfers in the 1970s and early 1980s. He turned professional in 1971 and won his first professional tournament – the Dutch Open...
275 1973 Tommy HortonTommy HortonThomas Alfred Horton, MBE is an English professional golfer.Horton was born in St Helens, Merseyside. He played on the European Tour for many years with moderate success, winning four titles and finishing fifth on the Order of Merit in 1976 and tenth in both 1974 and 1978. He has been more...
267 1972 1971 Ikoyi Club 1938 
Lee ElderLee ElderRobert Lee Elder is an American golfer. He is best remembered for becoming the first African-American to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975.-Background and family:...
267 1970 John Cook 1969 Marshall DouglasMarshall DouglasMarshall Douglas is a Scottish golfer from Clarkston, near Glasgow.Following a successful amateur career, having won the Elie Boys Championship in 1957 and the Eastwood Quaich in 1960, Marshall turned professional in 1962, having attained a cap in the Scottish Youths Internationals...
Year in brackets indicates Challenge Tour season.