Dean tees-off Digicel Golf Classic in windy conditions
-‘Pour’ Persaud delivers fascinating 60

THE ATMOSPHERE was exciting and refreshing and despite a rain interruption for abut half hour, action in this year’s second annual Digicel Guyana Open Golf Classic tournament was truly entertaining and enthralling at the end of the first day’s action at the Lusignan Golf Course yesterday. Rain interrupted play for about half hour around 10:30hrs and for about ten minutes at about 16:45hrs but the players continued immediately thereafter, some even battling for supremacy through the rain, but at the end of the day, the man in the pole position on the leader board was none other than Patanjalee ‘Pour’ Persaud 27/60.
Chief Executive Officer of Digicel Gregory Dean, as he did last year, conducted the ceremonial tee-off after giving brief remarks in which he thanked the LGC for partnering with his company once again, saying that they must have done something wonderful the first time around to be called upon again for which they are grateful.
Following Dean’s remarks and a simple thank you from Club president David Mohammed, the action got underway with Mohammed following Dean with the first tee in windy conditions, doing so in the presence of Dean and his Sponsorship and Events Manager Gavin Hope along with other senior personnel.
However, prior to the ceremonial tee-off, four players namely Carlos Adams, Parmanand Persaud, Maurice Solomon and Esau Shamshudin, began the battle for supremacy at 06:30hrs in what is being described as the most prestigious golf tournament in Guyana.
Four other players in Pandit Rabindranauth ‘Ravi’ Persaud, Richard Haniff, Kishan Bacchus and Brij Bissessar followed suit, as this contest is 15 minutes intervals for the 64 players who are battling for the Digicel ‘Red Jacket’ and the right to be called Guyana Open champion for the next year.
At the end of the day, in the Ladies category, Shanella Webster and Joaan Deo with a net 74 were in the leadership position, followed by defending champion Christine Sukhram 9/75 and Juliet Prince 36/78.
In the 19-28 h/cap category, leaders were, – Patanjalee ‘Pour’ Persaud 27/60, Mahendra Bhagwandin 26/65, Richard Haniff 21/73, Dr Philbert London 25/74 and Clifford Reis and Parmanand Persaud with net 76 each.
S. Suknanan leads the 10-18 h/cap category with his 10/66, followed by Roy Cummings 10/69, Mo Shaffie 18/71, Kishan Bacchus 15/72 and the pair of Colin Ming and Bholawram Deo net 73 while in the 0-9 h/cap category, leaders were,- Rishi Sukhram 7/69, Alfred Mentore 6/70, Imran Khan, Brian Glasford and Avinash Persaud net 72, and Jetendra Dhanpat and Papo Haniff with net 73. (Calvin Roberts)