Olapade leads Nigeria’s return to European Tour after a decade

Nigeria’s top golfer, Sunday Olapade has once again proved his mettle on the green course following his performances as the country’s sole representative at the 2025 Magical Kenya Open, which teed off last week at the Muthaiga Golf Club. Securing one of the final three tickets to the $2.5 million European Tour event, Olapade marks […]

Nigeria’s top golfer, Sunday Olapade has once again proved his mettle on the green course following his performances as the country’s sole representative at the 2025 Magical Kenya Open, which teed off last week at the Muthaiga Golf Club.

Securing one of the final three tickets to the $2.5 million European Tour event, Olapade marks Nigeria’s return to elite-level golf since Oche Odoh last led the country’s campaign in 2015. He finished behind Deus Willy and Paul Chidale in the Safari Tour Regional Qualifiers to earn his spot.

Despite posting a +6 in his opening round—leaving him 14 shots behind co-leaders J. Parry and B. Hubert—Olapade remains determined to fight for a share of the winning purse and crucial world ranking points in the second round.

“I will give it a fight. I will give it my best, but my joy is that I can speak for my colleagues back home with this performance here,” Olapade said.

He highlighted the steady rise in the quality of professional golf in Nigeria, pointing to the strong performances of Nigerian players across the continent.

Having claimed titles at both the Ivory Coast Open and the Ghana Open in 2024—along with securing the biggest professional purse in Nigeria last year—Olapade believes that many Nigerian golfers can compete at the highest level if given the right support.

Oche Odoh, who, along with Gift Willy, is on standby for the event, praised Olapade’s achievement.

“Olapade has been on fire since late last year, especially with his string of victories. But this DP World Tour event, the Magical Kenya Open, is the biggest milestone of his career so far. I am very proud of him, and I believe he has many more miles to go in his professional journey. As colleagues, we are here to cheer him on,” Odoh said.

The Magical Kenya Open is one of the few European Tour events hosted across multiple continents. A strong performance from Olapade could open doors to more European Tour opportunities.