LAGOS, Nigeria, Oct 5 – Ghana’s Vincent Torgah held off a stunning final-round charge from homeboy Nigeria’s Kamalu Bako before prevailing in a sudden-death playoff to win the Lakowe Lakes Golf Classic, claiming the inaugural Sunshine Development Tour title in West Africa.

Torgah appeared to be on course for a straightforward victory before Bako produced a sensational final round, carding a six-under-par 66 to erase the deficit and force a playoff.

Torgah shot a final-round 70 to finish the regulation 54 holes at three-under-par 213, matching Bako’s 213 after the Nigerian closed with the lowest round of the tournament.

The final round was delayed by rain before the 33 finalists returned to action, but Bako quickly provided the day’s biggest statement, firing eight birdies against two bogeys. His strong putting allowed him to steadily close the gap on Torgah and draw level at the top of the leaderboard.

Torgah, who carded rounds of 72, 71 and 70, held his nerve in the playoff to secure the landmark victory and become the first winner of a Sunshine Development Tour event in West Africa.

“It feels great to win, especially in such a competitive field and in a tournament that marks the Sunshine Development Tour’s first event in West Africa. Kamalu played an incredible final round and put me under a lot of pressure, so I knew I had to stay patient and trust my game in the playoff. I am very happy to come away with the win, and hopefully this is the beginning of many more opportunities,” said Torgah.

Despite falling short in sudden death, Bako was pleased with the performance that put him in contention for the title.

“I wished I could have executed the sudden death play better, but I was happy with my round where I putted well and was able to produce a six-under-par that gave me the chance at the title.”

Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera, who led after the opening round, recovered from a second-round 75 with a final-round 70 to finish third on two-under-par 214, tied with Ghana’s Ezekiel Afisco, who also finished on 214.

Cameroon’s Nji Pristhy and Zambia’s Sydney Joseph Wemba shared fifth place on level-par 216, while Nigeria’s Odeh Alechenu, Mustapha Abubakar and Augustine Manasseh, together with Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo, tied for seventh on one-over-par 217.

The tournament marked a significant milestone for the Sunshine Development Tour as its first event in West Africa, expanding the Tour’s competitive platform into a new region and bringing together players from across the continent.

The event attracted a 139-player field representing 10 countries and offered professionals an opportunity to compete for a share of the US$50,000 prize fund, alongside valuable Official World Golf Ranking points and Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points.

Following the Lagos action, attention now shifts back to Kenya, where Nakuru Golf Club will host the next leg of the Sunshine Development Tour, the Rift Valley Championship, from 25th to 27th October 2026.

The Tour will then return to Nigeria from 18th to 21st November 2026 for the Alpha Bravo Golf Classic at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate, continuing the Tour’s expansion and providing more competitive opportunities for players across the region.