– U.S. and Canadian golfers to participate
By Avenash Ramzan
The Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) is hoping to attract 60-75 golfers from Guyana, North America and the Caribbean for its premier golf tournament- the Guyana Open- billed for November 2-3 at the country’s lone golf course at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.
Unlike previous years, when it was exclusively sponsored by Banks DIH Limited, the upcoming two-day tournament will now be sponsored by cell phone service provider Digicel.
Giving an update to this publication regarding plans for the event, president of the LGC, attorney Jerome Khan, said preparations are moving apace with some overseas competitors already here getting acclimatised.
Khan revealed that golfers from the United States of America are already in the country, while several others from Canada are expected in the coming days.
“We are also expecting competitors from Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and French Guiana, but as you would know, everyone is just waiting on the last moment to indicate their interest in participating,” Khan said.
The LGC head said the organisers are anticipating a large turnout of competitors on the nine-hole course, with heated rivalry in the Championship Flight (0-9 handicap), B Flight (10-18), C Flight (19-28) and Ladies Flight.
Khan said that from all indications, the Championship Flight will be a hotly contested category with defending champion Avinash Persaud throwing down the gauntlet to local rivals Mohanlall Dinanauth, Alfred Mentore, William Walker, Patrick Prashad, Imran Khan and Munaff Arjune; the Canada trio Roger Rajkumar, Jaipaul Suknanan and Seupaul Suknanan, and Anwar Shafi of New York.
The LGC president also used the opportunity to salute Digicel as the new sponsor of the Guyana Open, a partnership that gained roots a few years ago when the company first sponsored the Digicel Golf Classic.
Khan added that the LGC is using the tournament to once again aid in the sports tourism drive, as the event will draw a wide cross-section of golfers and supporters from various countries.
“We’re very encouraged by the commitment made by Sport Minister Dr. Frank Anthony [at the opening of the President’s Cup], who has pledged to ensure that the access road is properly maintained because golf is a major tourist attraction, and we want to use it to our advantage to help the tourism drive, as is being done by the other Caribbean countries.”
Defending champions
When the competition gets underway, four-time winner Avinash Persaud and multiple-champion Christine Sukhram, will be looking to keep a hold on the titles they won in 2012.
In a thrilling finish last year, Persaud defeated Canada-based Guyanese Roger Rajkumar on the final hole to lift the title, while on the distaff side, Sukhram duly retained her 2011 title, returning from a first day deficit to beat Suriname’s Nom Sook Choi, who had assumed pole position at the end of the opening day.
Following the Digicel Guyana Open, local golfers will engage in battle in the MACORP, Wartsila ECI and King’s Jewellery World Open tournaments.
