FORTY-SIX golfers, including United States Ambassador Brent Hardt and Banks DIH Chairman Clifford Reece, are competing in this year’s President’s Gold Cup Tournament, which teed-off with a ceremonial swing by President Donald Ramotar at the Lusignan Golf Course early Sunday morning.

The inaugural tournament is a partnership initiative of the Guyana Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce; the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), and the corporate community.
The event adds to the list of tournaments played at the venue, and is being promoted by the Tourism Ministry in a way that seeks to lift the quality of the game, and, at the same time, attract the high end category of golf-loving tourists.
“We know a lot of our business tourists, who come to Guyana sometimes, do not know, or are unaware, that they can play golf in Guyana; and we would want them to do this,” GTA Director Indranauth Haralsingh said at Sunday’s opening.
The tournament will become an annual feature on the calendar of events of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce at the Lusignan venue, which replaced the National Park as a suitable golf course.
President Ramotar was elated about the tournament, launched in his name; and more particularly, the level of attention that is being given to the sport, especially by senior citizens, many of whom are competing in today’s tournament.
After a few attempts, President Ramotar managed to succeed in a swing at the ball.
“This is something that we should promote. It is a game that has a strong international recognition… since Tiger Woods became such a famous name in golf, it has popularised the sport enormously around the world,” President Ramotar said.
The likelihood of the game building prominence to the level of cricket and football is something President Ramotar said he is looking forward to, as he encouraged president of the Lusignan Golf Course, Jerome Khan, and other executives to manage the affairs of the game “very well.”
The Golf Course is the venue for a majority of sponsored tournaments being staged from August to October, including the Guyana Open, which swings off on November 3. Guyanese players will be going off to the Suriname Open on September 29.