Lady Tico triumphs at Tigo Tema Open*

*Grace Afriyie is relishing in her triumph on Sunday at the Tigo Tema Open but the petit golfer famously called Tico is aiming to go a step further by emerging the topmost lady in the sport in the country. *

*Afriyie beat off the stiff challenge of V. Bempong following a play-off after both tied 169 Gross each. Mona Myers-Lamptey and L. Amponsah Mensah grossed 180 and 186 to take 3rd and 4th respectively.*

Afriyie admitted her delight at finally winning the competition she calls “home trophy,” but she has exclusively told SportsInGhana.comof her ambition to end the year ranked number one. That is why she is not surprised to have finally broken her Tema Open duck. “I feel very great because I have been prepared for it all year. So when I was coming here I said ‘God this is my time’.

“So even when it went to sudden death-play-off, I was still confident and by the grace of God, I have won,” she said in the ecstasy of receiving the huge trophy prize from sponsors Tigo.

Now the lady who has already won the prestigious Ghana Open this year and also finished runner-up at the recent Asantehene Open in Kumasi , says she wants to achieve the rest of her dreams. She is not resting yet. “This is the first time I’m winning here even though it’s my home tournament.

“I’m not satisfied at all because the challenges of winning are there to inspire us to do more. My target now is to win the Accra Open next month then I can make the point to be golfer of the year,” Grace Afriyie disclosed to SportsInGhana.com.

Equally excited was Korblah Degbe who beat V. Coffie also via the play-offs sudden death to emerge victorious in the Men’s Scratch tournament after both golfers grossed 148. Also a first time winner, Degbe says he can’t even tell if it could also be his last because of his plans to turn professional in the coming year, but is enjoying the moment. “I feel good and I’m not surprised because I knew I was going to win. It’s nice and I enjoy walking around here as today’s champion,” he stated.

He took home a giant trophy, same as runner-up Coffie and well up to the top seven winners. F. Akafo (150), J.K. Amuzu (158), K. Kronzu (160), Ernest Opoku (161) and F. Boateng finished 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th respectively.

Also taking home a trophy each were the Handicap winners, 1st to 3rd in the Ladies’ Category and Top 5 in the Men’s field. 17 year old Fui Tamakloe won the Men’s Handicap competition with 144 net and C. Nyantakyie, the Ladies’ event with a gross of 153.

Kojo Barnni shot to a score of 287 points to win the Professionals’ event and the cash prize of GH¢900, beating John Mawuli into 2nd place on 290 points and Vincent Torgah 3rd on 291. Mawuli and Torgah took home GH¢550 and GH¢500 respectively as their prizes.

S. Oberoi shot 70 net to beat Richard Agbenu’s 71 net into 2nd spot in the Men (B) Category.

The Tigo Sponsors were also praised by the organizers for their support, Tigo Visibility Specialist Titus Nanor in turn describing the two-day tournament as a success in terms of patronage, organization and the competition itself.