Mystery over 47 missing golfers

The Scotsman ^ | 7/11/02 | Gethin Chamberlain

[Nexus]

Mystery over 47 missing golfers

Gethin Chamberlain

ORGANISERS of the Open Championship have launched an investigation after 47 out of 48 Nigerians granted visas to enter Britain to take part in the competition failed to turn up for their games.

There are suspicions that some of the would-be golfers had no intention of taking part in the tournament but used the event as an excuse to get past immigration controls.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, which organises the tournament, has expressed surprise at the size of the entry from a country not normally associated with top-class golf, and concern about the failure of the golfers to show up.

The mystery deepened yesterday when both the Nigerian Golf Union and the Nigerian High Commission denied any knowledge of such a large entry.

Top-class golf courses are few and far between in the West African country and the annals of golfing history are not overburdened with the names of Nigerian greats.

Suspicions began to surface when officials at the Open qualifying tournaments reported that their Nigerian contingent had failed to turn up to play.

None of the 11 Nigerians expected at the Hadley Wood course in north London turned up, while Orsett in Essex found itself missing all 13 of its anticipated contestants. Only Trentham in Staffordshire reported a Nigerian golfer arriving to play out of ten who had been expected. Ifeanyi Chukwu went round in 76 but failed to make it through the qualifying round.

Yesterday, Peter Dawson, the secretary of the Royal and Ancient, said: "We did have a large entry from Nigeria in particular and a good number didn’t turn up.

"We are running a championship and we checked as many of them as we could but with the benefit of hindsight, something strange does appear to have gone on."

The Nigerian Golf Union conceded that the entry did appear to be considerably higher than they were aware of. A spokesman said they knew of only two golfers who had been recommended to take part in the championship.

[wheezer]

LOL...well if they're dressed like the late Payne Stewart used to dress, they should be pretty easy to spot.

[Grammy]

Did anyone HAPPEN to notice if any of them was carrying clubs when they entered the country?

[gridlock]

Unfortunately, I cannot cash a check in your country because I am an illegal. You were recommended to me by someone as being honest and trustworthy. If you would just cash my check I will give you 20% of the total for your trouble....

[jonascord]

They were, but one had a bag of 14 putters, another with a bag of of 14 drivers, there was one who had a bag with 10 wooden sticks of various lengths, a whiffle bat and an umbrella with the handle broken off...

[CJ Wolf]

I met a nigerian in Dublin the other week. He said he didn't trust Americans. I laughed, told him the Nigerians were known world wide for those spam scams and I didn't trust them.

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

Water hazard LOL

Unfortunately very few will understand that one.

[MeekOneGOP]

OJ's calling in reinforcements to help him find the real killer! < /sarcasm >

[dighton]

[lodwick]

FOF - I just deleted my Nigerian "investment" opportunity email. Thieving bastards.

[Doodle]

I laughed, told him the Nigerians were known world wide for those spam scams and I didn't trust them.

You don't really believe those Nigerian scam emails are sent by actual Nigerians do you?

[RoughDobermann]

"License to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations. Man, free to kill gophers at will."

"I want you to kill every gopher on the course."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, Sandy, but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up and throw away the key."
"Gophers! You great git! Not golfers! The little brown furry rodents!"
"We can do that. We don't even have to have a reason."

[Publius6961]

I don't often laugh out loud when reading FR at work, but today was an exception.

D'OH!

[flushed with pride]

Where's Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton when we need them?!?! The WHITE DEVILS in Great Britain are obviously behind this; they're always tryin' to keep a brother out of the country club.
(sarcasm/off)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They've taken over the airport at Minneapolis.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Wow, now Tiger's really a lock to win the British Open without that tough Nigerian competition!

[NewHampshireDuo]

There are suspicions that some of the would-be golfers had no intention of taking part in the tournament but used the event as an excuse to get past immigration controls.

Ya think???..............

[jae471]

Aside from the "Duh" about immigration, the best line is this:

the annals of golfing history are not overburdened with the names of Nigerian greats.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

The Nigerians are not really missing. They're just hiding behind the flagsticks.

[marktuoni]

Correct me if I'm wrong Sandy, but if I kill all the golfers they'll lock me up and throw away the key.

[ThreeYearLurker]

I know the rough is deep on those Scottish courses but man o' man!