Golf-playing parents and children, as well as husbands and wives, will take to the fairways and greens today for the annual Sagicor General Family Team Championships at the Barbados Golf Club (BGC), in Durants, Christ Church.
Seventy-two players (comprising 36 two-member teams) are entered for this year’s event, which is being sponsored by Sagicor General for the third year and represents the first tournament for 2014 on the BGC’s calendar.
Designed as an interactive outing for families, and featuring four divisions of play, the tournament is certain to generate loads of fun but also keen rivalry as several Barbados national players will be partnering parents or other family members.
Top Barbados player James Johnson is partnering his father Ralph, while former junior captain Donald Leacock will partner his father Charles. Former Barbados cricketer Ricky Skeete, also a long-standing golf national, is teaming with his brother Glyne, an experienced campaigner, to defend their division.
The tournament tees off at 8 a.m. and the four divisions are parent and child; husband and wife; siblings and an open division.
Among other pairings, former motorsport champion navigator of the 1980’s Garry Clarke will team with his son Brett, while Barbados player Julian Jordan is partnering his wife Nicola in the husband and wife catergory. Barbados junior Serena Smith and Spencer Smith are competing in the siblings catergory.
Realtor Richie Alleyne and his son Paul, will be seeking to defend their net title in the parent and child division, after posting a net 64 last year, while Denis and Helen Foster are defending the husband and wife catergory after a gross 72 last year.
They are expected to be pressed by net winners Dr Geoff and Margaret DeCaires (67) as well as experienced Barbados players Frankie and Julia Stephenson, who were third in 2013.
Executives of Sagicor General, including president and chief executive officer David Alleyne and vice-president of marketing Mark Blakeley, are also teeing-up in the tournament but in different divisions.
Alleyne will partner his teenaged son Tristan, while Blakeley, a highly rated player, will team with his wife Leiza in the husband and wife catergory.
“We are anticipating a lot of fun, friendly rivalry and a great start to the new year. This is another example of Sagicor General’s commitment to supporting wholesome activities across Barbados and other Caribbean territories, adding to the range of sports and other activities that we sponsor,” said Blakeley, who also has responsibilty for business development.
Sagicor General, which previously operated as Barbados Fire & General, is a leading general insurance company with operations in five Caribbean countries and has been in business for more than 130 years.
The company is rated A – excellent by international rating agency AM Best, reflecting its strength and stability in the industry. (PR/BA)