Digicel 2014 Guyana Open Golf Tournament
Flashback! We are the champions! Proudly decked out in their ‘Red Jackets’ 2013 Digicel Golf Open Champions Arvinda Kishore (male) and Christine Sukhram display their spoils after claiming the top prizes last year. Will this be the scene this Sunday when the action culminates. (Photo by Adrian Narine)
Flashback! We are the champions! Proudly decked out in their ‘Red Jackets’ 2013 Digicel Golf Open Champions Arvinda Kishore (male) and Christine Sukhram display their spoils after claiming the top prizes last year. Will this be the scene this Sunday when the action culminates. (Photo by Adrian Narine)

Enthralling action anticipated for ‘Red Jacket’
… Defending champions geared for opposition

AT 07:00hrs tomorrow, the crème de la crop of golf in Guyana will converge on the Lusignan Golf Course, located in Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, to do battle for supremacy in this year’s Digicel-sponsored Guyana Open Golf Tournament.

The two-day affair should be exciting in more ways than one, as, according to the Lusignan Golf Club captain Chatterpaul Deo, the greens and fairways are in excellent shape and fans who have plans to witness the action, should expect a keenly contested competition over the two days.
Local-based players have enjoyed good success over the past few years, while their recent form in competitions, leading up to this tournament known as a prestigious one on the LGC calendar of activities, makes the battle more exciting and a must-see.
Canada-based Guyanese Roger Rajkumar, at the launching of the tournament two weeks ago, applauded the telecommunications service provider for putting its signature to the event and making it a marquee one, a feat that was done two years ago.
According to Rajkumar, the improvements made to the course and the excellent conditions have made the playing field level for all, thereby giving the visiting players just as good a chance as the locals while making the competition highly competitive.
There is a change in format for this year, which Deo took the time to announce at the launching. The winner was chosen from the 0-9 flight in last year’s tournament, but this time around a winner can emerge from the 0-9, 10-18 or 19-28 flights.
Defending men’s champion Arvinda Kishore, who dethroned his brother and four-time winner Avinash Persaud last year, will be aiming to repeat as champion and waltz away with the sponsors ‘Red Jacket’, but there will be many more competitors of whom he should be wary, if he intends to succeed Sunday night.
Apart from his brother Avinash Persaud, Kishore will have to keep a keen eye on LGC president David Mohammed, who has been in ripping form of late, placing within the top three in the last four tournaments.
There are also the likes of Rajkumar, Alfred Mentore, Patrick Persaud, Mohanlall Dinanauth, Munaf Arjune Rajkumar, Vijay Deo and Roy Cummings who can all challenge for the top spot.
Defending female champion Christine Sukhram knows the greens and fairways of the LGC like the back of her hand, since her late dad Basil Sukhram had her by his side during his days as coach of the club, from where she practised the art and her swing on a daily basis from the tender age of 6.
With such opposition as perennial rival Joann Deo and the vast-improving Shanella Webster to contend with today, along with the ladies who are expected from neighbouring Suriname, certainly Christine’s aim to repeat as champion would not be easy, but not one which she cannot achieve, as long as she gets her swings correct.
According to the organisers, players are expected from Canada, United States of America, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname to compete against their Guyanese counterparts in four events- (0-9 handicap), B Flight (10-18), C Flight (19-28) and Ladies Flight.
Tee-off time is 07:00hrs tomorrow and 06:00hrs on Sunday’s final day, with Chief Executive Officer of Digicel, Gregory Dean, expected to open the tournament and take the first swing as he has done for the past two years.

(By Calvin Roberts)

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