– Registration closes tomorrow
GUYANA’s Open golf tournament can be described as one of the most prestigious tournaments on the local golf calendar and according to Vice-president of the Lusignan Golf Club, Brian Hackett, preparation for the November 4 and 5 tournament is fantastic.
“Preparations are fantastic; the ground is in good shape; the greens are being prepared as we speak and is ready to play; the club house had a face lift, so we are pretty much ready and gear up to go,” Hackett said during an exclusive interview yesterday.
Meanwhile, organisers are anticipating approximately 100 local and foreign golfers during the two-day prestigious tournament, and according to Hackett, ten golfers each from Canada, USA and Suriname, and one each from Argentina and FiJi, have already confirmed their participation, with some already here getting acclimatised.
Hackett further expects golfers from Trinidad and Tobago and French Guiana before the registration closes tomorrow.
To add to those overseas competitors, close to 45 local golfers have already confirmed their involvement.
The LGC Vice-president added that while the LGC is using the tournament to once again aid in the sports tourism drive, as the event will draw a wide cross-section of golfers and supporters from various countries, a number of new dimensions will add to the excitement.
“We have a number of executive arrangements, VIP arrangements which were different than the previous years. We have the school competition which was not held before, and the whole presentation and makeup will be different,” he disclosed.
With regards to the tournament itself, Hackett said “The tournament is quite different, we had some changes in the last two years in the ladies format, but we are going back to the original format where the ladies will play on the best gross for the championship and play on best net for the individual prizes, while in the male division, they will be judged from the best gross”.
The Guyana Open 2017 will feature 7-time Guyana Open Champion, Avinash Persaud, and 2-time Guyana Open Women’s Champion, Joaan Deo; both defending their respective titles against stiff competition.
In a thriller last year, Persaud finished with a total Gross of 149 and a Net aggregate of 145.
Deo defeated Shaunella Webster after recording a total Net 138 and a Gross of 180.
This year’s activities will also include special participation in an inaugural Guyana Open Putting Contest which will see Queen’s College, Bishops’ High and St. Rose’s High competing for the title.
The LGC is anticipating a large turnout of competitors on the nine-hole course, with keen rivalry in the Championship Flight (0-9 handicap), B Flight (10-18), C Flight (19-28) and Ladies Flight.
Tee-off time is 16:00hrs each day. Admission is free, and ‘early-bird’ fans will receive a free raffle ticket to win one of several gate prizes, compliments of the sponsors. To be eligible, fans must be in before 14:00hrs each day.
Another initiative taken by the LGC will see the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club displaying several race cars for fans to inspect and take close-up photographs.
