Local boy James Johnson held the early lead after an intriguing opening day in the annual Garry Sobers Festival Of Golf yesterday on the four major courses.
Johnson, the king of golf in Barbados and one of the best players in the region, ended the day with a score of 71 to top the leaderboard with a six-stroke lead.
The defending champion entered the tournament as the favourite and looked untroubled and quite relaxed as he took on the challenging course at Royal Westmoreland.
The conditions proved difficult for some players, with some surprisingly high winds, but the composed Johnson showcased his skills and calm putting under pressure.
He is trailed by Ananad Harridyal, Daryl Jones and Scott Stollmeyer, who all ended the first day on 77 to be in a in a three-way tie for second spot.
Heading into the competition, Barbadian Julian Jordan was expected to offer Johnson the stiffest challenge. He ended the day with a score of 78 to round off the top five. These will have to do a lot of work to pull back and overtake Johnson in the coming three days of competition.
Johnson will look to maintain his lead when he tees off at Apes Hill Club today at 11 a.m. The four-day competition is one of the leading golfing events on the calendar in the Caribbean and this year has attracted over 250 participants from all corners of the globe.
The second round will be played today at the same four courses – Sandy Lane Country Club, Royal Westmoreland, Apes Hill and Barbados Golf Club. (RS)
