Nigeria has made its debut at the World Schools Games Golf Championship, held in St Andrews, Scotland, from September 14-16, 2026. The Nigerian team consisted of five promising indigenous golfers who represented their schools and the country alongside young golfers from other nations. The team comprised Mayomile Orungbeja of St. Gregory’s College, Tiaraoluwa Ahmadu of St. Saviour’s School, Ikoyi, Fireyimi Aina of Lagos Preparatory School, Ikoyi, Toluwalashe Balogun of Lagoon Schools, Lekki, and Melvin Strasser of Meadow Hall School, Lekki.
The championship provided the young Nigerian golfers with an invaluable opportunity to gain international competition experience and test their skills against peers from different countries. The Nigerian contingent recorded notable results across the Junior Boys and Junior Girls categories. Toluwalashe Balogun finished as Runner-Up in the Junior Girls Category, while Tiaraoluwa Ahmadu secured a Top 5 finish in the same category.
Mayomile Orungbeja also finished within the Top 10 in the Junior Boys Category. These performances demonstrate the depth of emerging talent within Nigerian junior golf and the potential of young Nigerian golfers to compete on international platforms when given access to structured training, quality competition, and international exposure.
The team’s participation was coordinated by Oluseyi Badmos of 2AT Limited, who described the championship as an important platform for exposing young Nigerian golfers to international competition and broadening their experience and development. Badmos emphasized that international exposure is crucial for developing young athletes, allowing them to compete, learn, build confidence, and understand what it takes to perform at a higher level.
The participation of the Nigerian team is closely aligned with the objectives of “Let’s Play Golf in Schools,” a grassroots initiative of 2AT Limited designed to introduce golf to schoolchildren and create a pathway from the school playground to structured training and competitive golf. This initiative aims to develop young golfers and provide them with opportunities to progress from grassroots participation to national and international competition.
Badmos also acknowledged the Lagos State Government, through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), for providing 2AT Limited with the opportunity to introduce golf to primary school children across Lagos State. He emphasized that sustained collaboration among government, schools, parents, golf organizations, and other stakeholders will be essential to expanding access to golf and creating more opportunities for talented young Nigerians.
The World Schools Games Golf Championship has provided a platform for young Nigerian golfers to showcase their skills and gain international experience. The participation of the Nigerian team marks a significant milestone in the development of junior golf in the country, and it is expected that this experience will inspire and motivate young golfers to strive for excellence in the sport. The team’s performance has demonstrated that Nigerian golfers have the potential to compete at the highest level.
Key points
- The Nigerian team recorded notable results, with Toluwalashe Balogun finishing as Runner-Up in the Junior Girls Category.
- The team’s participation was coordinated by Oluseyi Badmos of 2AT Limited, who emphasized the importance of international exposure for young athletes.
- The participation of the Nigerian team is closely aligned with the objectives of “Let’s Play Golf in Schools,” a grassroots initiative of 2AT Limited.
