PROFESSIONAL player and ex-Coach Nazeem ‘Papo’ Haniff performed well to win the tie in the Championship Flight, while Ayube Subhan won the tie in his ‘B’ Flight, and Mark Lashley was the clear winner in the ‘C’ Flight, in the Heineken Annual Golf Tournament held at the Lusignan Golf Course.

Played on the much-appreciated Flights format, the golfers competed fiercely for one of the top two places in their category as prizes were awarded for 1st and 2nd Best Net performances in each of the three categories:  ‘A’ or Championship Flight, h/cap 0 – 9;  ‘B’ Flight, h/cap 10 – 18; and ‘C’ Flight, h/cap 19 –28. Prizes were also awarded for the Longest Drive and the Nearest to The Pin.

Winners in the day’s play were: ‘C’ Flight —  1st  Mark Lashley 75/24;  2nd Maurice Solomon 82/22; ‘B’ Flight – 1st Ayube Subhan 70/18; 2nd Bholawram Deo 70/18; ‘A’ Flight – 1st Nazeem Haniff 71/7; Richard Haniff 71/9. Longest Drive was won by Richard Haniff and Nearest to the Pin was won by Ayube Subhan.

Papo Haniff, prior to his departure to Suriname as a coach several years ago, was 9 times Guyana Open winner and also 5 consecutive times winner of the Lusignan Open. He explained that having been off of golfing for some five years, he began playing again in December last year and has been steadily regaining his professional form.

 Meanwhile, Richard Haniff expressed that he was “very happy to be in the ‘A’ or Championship Flight,” and considered it “a great achievement to be in the single digit handicap group, and even more impressive to compete and lose to a former pro only on the back 9.” ”

Ansa McAl (Guyana) through its Heineken brand has been supporting the Lusignan Golf CLub and sponsoring tournaments for five consecutive years. Manager Troy Cadogan, who celebrated his birthday the same day of the Tournament, has been distinctively unfailing in causing the company to continue to be of great support to the club over the years.

Tracing its beginning to Trinidad and Tobago in the early 1880’s, the Ansa McAL Group has grown beyond the borders of the twin island Republic to over 50 companies in about eight economic sectors in Guyana, Grenada, Barbados, St. Kitts & Nevis and the United States of America, making this dynamic enterprise one of the largest and most profitable conglomerates in the Western Hemisphere. The Group has been supportive of sports in many disciplines and continues to do so via whatever brand it services.

Lusignan Golf Club President Aleem Hussain thanked Heineken (and Ansa McAl) for their continued support and expressed appreciation for the initiative the company has taken throughout the years in helping sports in Guyana.

Manager Troy Cadogan was on hand to congratulate and encourage the golfers, and welcomed them to share in his birthday celebration at the club immediately after the tournament.