CHAMPIONS JUDD COZIER and Debbie Fung will defend their titles in the United Insurance/ Digicel/Diamonds International Rockley Open Golf Tournament which tees off at 7 a.m. tomorrow.
Cozier, a Barbados representative in regional competition, is seeking his seventh Rockley Open title in ten years and will be fending off challenges from such rivals as Donald Leacock, Ivan Codrington and Swedish visitor Richard Zaar.
“I’ve been practising hard over the past two weeks and I am ready. There are some very good players in the tournament, but I’m looking to win it again,” Cozier said.
Guyanese-born Fung, always a favourite on the familiar but tight Rockley course, will be looking to defend her title in the face of competition from veteran Helen Foster, the 2012 champion, and experienced Barbados player Julia Stephenson.
Around 90 players are set to tee off in the tournament, which will be played over 36 holes tomorrow and Sunday. This prestigious annual event will see some of the island’s best golfers matching skills against overseas players, mainly from Canada and England, who are on winter vacation in Barbados.
Organisers and sponsors of the 2014 Open updated the media during a briefing on Wednesday at the Rockley Club, Christ Church, where Barbados business manager for United Insurance, Sharron Alleyne-Elcock, said her company was happy to be associated with the tournament for the eighth year.
“We at United Insurance are pleased to again partner with Rockley Golf Club and fellow sponsors for two great days of golf, and also happy to be able to make this contribution in these challenging economic times,” she said.
Alex Tasker, commercial director of Digicel, said he was expecting an exciting weekend of golf, as the level of play in the island was improving. New Rockley Club captain Mark Pearson said the annual event was the club’s biggest tournament and thanked the sponsors for their continued support.
He also said the greens and fairways were in good shape, following recent rains.
