No fewer than 300 golfers are set to compete in this year’s Amateur Open Golf  Championship scheduled to tee off  today in Port Harcourt.

The Captain of the Port Harcourt Golf Club, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Friday that the tournament remained one of the biggest events at the club.

Inko-Tariah said the golfers were expected from different parts of the country.

He said dignitaries expected at the tournament included Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, the Chairman of Heritage Bank, Akinsola Akinfemiwa, and that of Marina Securities Ltd, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

He said invitations were also extended to golfers from other golf clubs in the country.

Inko-Tariah added that the tournament would be dedicated to financial institutions for their invaluable support for the championship.

“Heritage Bank is the major sponsor of this year’s event, so we decided to christen the trophy The Heritage Cup.

“If they remain the major sponsor next year, the name remains or gets changed to whoever emerges the major sponsor of the tournament,” he said.

The captain, who assured golfers of a splendid time at the tourney, said that in terms of preparations, the club was 100 per cent ready to make it a memorable weekend.

He said the golfers should expect great hospitality, wonderful reception and fantastic take-away and good prizes during the championship.

“During the championships, the course plays quite slow and nothing can really be done about the slow play of the course in tournaments with heavy human traffic.

“Everybody wants a large turnout in this tournament and so do we.

“If the course is slow occasioned by a large turnout, then so be it, but we will employ marshals who will ensure that play is not ridiculously slow,” Inko-Tariah said.