James Johnson will be the man to beat this weekend when the eighth RBC Royal Bank Classic golf tournament tees off at the Barbados Golf Club tomorrow.
More than 100 players have registered for the two-day classic, which is a major annual tournament on the calendar.
The most dominant player over the past ten years, Johnson has won the event four times.
“My form is good and I am a lot fitter this year. I am definitely looking to add another win to the cabinet,” he said.
The Barbados national captain added that there were several good players he expected to be among his challengers but he was intent on focussing on his own game and not his competitors’.
Among the main rivals are Canada-based Stephen Layne, the 2010 winner who arrived on Wednesday, Julian Jordan, Judd Cozier and Scott Stollmeyer.
Among the women, 2010 champion Lyn deCambra-Mcleod will be seeking to recapture the title she surrendered last year to veteran Helen Foster and will start among the favourites.
Eleven-year-old Mavi Vergos and experienced Julia Stephenson are also expected among the challengers.
The event attracts several visiting players from North America and England, and the island’s top players will have their work cut out on a course that will be in good shape.
“We have done a lot of work in recent weeks and the course will be in excellent shape. The fairways will be nice and greens will play a little quicker,” said Tyrone Hinkson, the Barbados Golf Club’s superintendent of greens.
RBC’s corporate communications manager Joseph Charles said his company had supported the event from its inception and was proud to be associated with one of the island’s premier golf tournaments.
He said RBC also had a proud tradition of supporting regional and international golf.
Funds raised from hosting the annual event will go towards assisting the development of junior golf and RBC will again this year present a high-performance award to a young golfer who has shown the best skills and character throughout the season.
This award was previously won by Serena Smith and Donald Leacock. (BB)