TIGHT PLAY and a high level of competition were the hallmarks of the 2016 Sagicor Barbados Open golf championships which concluded on Sunday at Royal Westmoreland and Apes Hill clubs.
Perennial Barbados champion James Johnson, who was taken to his last putt before clinching the men’s title for a 13th time, called it one of the most competitive tournaments he could remember, while Barbados Golf Association president Trevor Tasker described it as the most competitive field assembled in recent years.
The scores in the men’s top flight certainly reflected it as it came down to a 36-hole contest at Royal Westmoreland after the first day on Friday was washed out by rain.
Following Saturday’s play, five players were breathing down the neck of early leader Trinidadian Ross Cabral who shot 73. Former champions Julian Jordan and Johnson were there with 74s along with fellow Barbados players Simon Proverbs and Marcus Clarke (also 74).
New Barbados cap and left-hander Maurice Forde (75) was also in contention along with Dawn Bispham (76).
That set up the tournament for an intriguing final day on Sunday and after several contenders had derailed themselves by the end of the first nine holes, Johnson, Jordan and Proverbs turned the event into a three-man contest as they fought all the way to the last hole.
It took a birdie putt from Johnson, his last stroke of the tournament, for him to shrug off his rivals. Johnson eventually posted the day’s best 72, for a 36-hole gross 146, while Jordan and Proverbs both shot 74 and ended joint second with a gross 147.
Marcus Clarke finished with 153 for third and Dawn Bispham was fourth with 158.
The women’s championship was also close after the first 18 holes before Antigua and OECS champion Kimesha Anthony, who was leading by two strokes, pulled away on the last day to win the Barbados Open for a fifth time.
Jamaican champion Ian Facey and American twin brothers York and Rolad Beights all fell away on the second day as they struggled on the expansive Westmoreland course.
Sagicor General’s vice-president Mark Blakeley, a scratch player who played in the men’s championship flight and was among a four ball that included Brian Lara, Elvis Medford and junior Iz Hustler, described the tournament as competitive and exciting.
“Other than the rains on Friday it was a great tournament. We had a diversity of talented players from the Caribbean and beyond, and competition was close and exciting,” said Blakeley.
The Sagicor vice-president further said that sponsors and organisers will be working to make next year’s event bigger and even more exciting. (PR)
