Winners have emerged at the 2019 edition of the Parkland Junior Tiger Championship held at the Parkland Golf Resort Club in Abuja yesterday.

The championship which is in its 5^th edition is aimed at promoting youth participation in golfing saw over 35 kids between the ages of 5 and 18 years teeing off for honours.

At the end of the competition, Aaron Gambo emerged champion in the 10-18 years male category while Anase Vania Akper emerged champions in the female category.

In the Best Net (15-18 years), Moses Christopher emerged winner while Mubarak Salisu was the runner-up.

Miss Sharon Okola emerged the winner in the Litte Tiger (5-9 years) category.

Similarly, Ryan Aikhideme was named the Best Net (5-9 years) while Aaron Ebode emerged runner-up.

Muhammed Alhassan emerged winner of the Best Net (10-14 years) category while Mubarak Salisu emerged runner-up.

In a chat with the Ambassador for the championship, Mrs Omon Isemede said the aim was to make the children professional early enough.

“The 2019 Junior Tiger is actually a program we have for the young generation. It is actually to bring them together, bridge the gap between the adults and the children.

“It is to make them professional early enough. We encourage to make use of this opportunity to bring kids together as it is good for their health,” she said.

She further stated that to further encourage the less privileged in the country, there are sponsors who are ready to pay for them but the parents will have to pay a token.

Her submission was re-echoed by the Grand Patron of Parkland Golf Resort Club, Arc Muftau Bello said there is a special program called the Parkland Golf Academy which is so simple.

According to him, “you only join with N10,000 for three months. But you must come in groups of five to ten.

“Golfing is actually enjoyed in groups. The cost of play rest in the hands of the pros who have conceded to do at one-third of their normal charges.

“The club is willing to give equipment to new participants which should grow the interests in golfing,” he said.

Arc Bello further stated that golfing is the best game around and it will re-orientate the juniors while giving the children the best of opportunities to be one day decorated or represent the country.

“We are looking at individual brands coming up now to taking special interest in this program which is very nice for this country,” he said.

He also revealed that the Parkland club was going into partnership with the government to bring more kids to play golf.

“We are going into partnership with the ministry of youths and sports, Naptip, National Orientation Agency to encourage them to refer kids here,” he said.

Speaking with former Lady Captain of IBB golf club, Mrs Julie Acholonu, she expressed her optimism at the kids excelling playing golf in Parkland.

“This particular program is the one that is actually my target as a golfer to have the juniors encouraged into the golfing world. I tag it ‘catch them young’.

“Young in the sense that the gap between the children and adult is so wide and so it is better to get them at this early age, prepare their minds. The future is assured with Parkland because they have the clubs, bags and other equipment necessary for golf,” she said.