The local golfers, both professionals and amateurs, have been preparing intensely for this weekend’s 55th Jamaica Open Golf Championship at the Tryall Golf Club in Sandy Bay, Hanover.
The pro-am will tee off on Saturday at 12:30 pm while the three-day championship will get underway on Sunday at 7:00 am.
The Jamaica Golf Association‘s last official tournament was held over the Heroes Weekend at Upton Golf Club in St. Ann with the pros and top amateurs playing a gruelling 54-hole over two days to give them more time on the golf course under extreme conditions.
Normally 54 holes are played over three days (18 holes each day) but they played 27 holes each day. Playing 54-hole tournaments also give the local players the ability to gain ranking points on the international stage.
The top three pros in that tournament were Orville Christie who posted two under par 211 with scores of two under par 69, one under par 70 and two over par 72 to win by 23 strokes over runner-up Martin Butt. Butt ended on 21 over par 234 after posting 75, 80 and 79 over the three rounds. Livingston Williams posted 235 (82, 72, 81) , just one stroke behind in third spot.
The senior pros top three went to Peter Horrobin – seven over par 220, Lloyd Campbell – 10 strokes further back on 230 (79, 77, 78) and Vinton McPherson on 19 over par 232 (75, 79, 78).
The top three amateurs who also played 54 holes in the two days in the Men’s & Men’s Senior category were led by this year’s national amateur golf champion Oshae Haye, who ended the tournament on two under par 211 (72, 71, 68). His 68 was the lowest round by any golfer in the tournament. He was also playing on his home course.
Zandre Roye, who is also based at Upton Golf Club, was second on 21 strokes back – 232 (74, 79, 79), while Trey Williams (also playing on his home course) was third – 236 (80, 83, 73).
The other golfers in the various categories who competed in the tournament played 36 holes over the two days.
Ladies player Michelle McCreath played in the 0-12 handicap category was the only one in the group and posted 85 and 81 (166) for the two rounds.
Junior player Anoushka Khatri topped the Ladies 13 and over category with 92, 88 (180) over the two rounds. Diane Hudson was second on 23 strokes back (189) while Valerie Grant posted 196 in third spot.
Tenny Davis – four over par 146; Delroy Johnson – seven over par 149 and Carl Brown – 15 over par 157 were the top three players in the Men’s & Men’s Senior two-day section.
The Men’s & Men’s Senior 7-12 handicap went to Richard White – 172, Livingstone Morrisson – 175 and Jerome Thomas 181.
Edwin Lowe and Teddy Alexander – 160 each tied for first while Robert Chin – 165 was third in the Men’s Super Senior category.
Several junior boys and girls got a shot to play with the adults on the course. They played in a one day tournament.
Top boy in the 14-15 age group was Kyle McConnell – 125 while the top boy in the 11-13 age group was Kemari Morris – 85. There was a junior girl on the course as well in the 11-13 group, name Alessandra Coe. She posted 99 for her one day score.
