Champion?James Johnson, seeking his 12th United Insurance Barbados Open title, will be the man to beat when the tournament tees off today at the Barbados Golf Club (BGC) at Durants from 8 a.m.
Johnson, who was 16 strokes better than his nearest rival last year, is expected to face a tougher challenge this time out with several top Caribbean players in the mix.
Among them are veteran Kittitian champion Trevor Levine, a past winner in Barbados, Trinidad and St Kitts; his compatriot Raymond Percival and Trinidadians Adrian Sampson and Wayne Baptiste, along with Barbadians Julian Jordan and Marcus Clarke.
“I’m definitely looking forward to getting out there,” Johnson said. “A major change this year is the fact that we will be playing over different courses . . . adjusting to three different courses and the different conditions will be a pretty big challenge.”
From the BGC, amateur action moves to The Country Club at Sandy Lane tomorrow and to Royal Westmoreland on Sunday, as the tournament is being played on four courses for the first time.
A pro-am was staged at Apes Hill yesterday and over the next three days, the competition for professionals continues at Apes Hill.
The Open has five divisions, which include the men’s first flight (10-19 handicap), the seniors (50 years and over) and the men’s Super-Seniors (60 years and over).
An exciting battle is looming among the seniors where Michael Haynes is defending the title but is certain to be pressed by other veteran national players and Caribbean champions Robert Piggott and Ricky Skeete.
The super seniors could turn out to be a tussle for the silverware among highly favoured Trinidadians, defending champion Monty Chapman and Arjune Samlall, who is playing in Barbados for the first time. Samlall, playing with a zero handicap, said he is here to win the championship.
President of the Barbados Golf Association, Hadley Byer, said the championships had been oversubscribed.
“We have about 130 players and we are expecting some exciting golf over the next three days,” he said. “The Trinidadians represent the biggest contingent, about 35, but we also have players from St Maarten, St Kitts, Martinique, the USVI, Canada and England.”
Barbadian Rae “Muffin” Stollmeyer is the defending champion in the women’s division. (PR)
