Large field of golfers for Guyana Open

– Foreigners to invade Lusignan Golf Course

By Avenash Ramzan

Approximately 80 local and foreign golfers will compete in the prestigious Guyana Open golf tournament, billed to tee off this weekend at the Lusignan Golf Course, East Coast Demerara.
The premier tournament on the local golf calendar has once again attracted corporate support from beverage giant, Banks DIH Limited, who will exclusively sponsor this year’s event under its XM brand of aged rums.
Speaking at the launch of the competition yesterday morning at the company’s location at Thirst Park, Secretary of the Lusignan Golf Club, David Mohamad, said all systems are in place for the two-day tournament, with well over 30 foreigners set to challenge their local counterparts.
“The preparations are going very well; the ground as you would know has been in excellent condition over the last few weeks and it’s getting even better now,” Mohamad said.
“We have a lot of responses from people overseas; from Canada some of them are here already, we have folks coming in from Florida, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and I heard there were some enquiries from folks in French Guiana who wish to join us for the tournament on Saturday morning. As always, we look forward to a great tournament, and we want to thanks Banks DIH for once again being the sponsor of this main event for us this year.”
Banks DIH Limited has been sponsoring the competition for years under different brands, and this weekend the company will be showcasing its XM brands of Seven, Ten, Twelve and Fifteen-year-old rums.
The company’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Carlton Joao, said Banks DIH Limited is pleased to be aligned with the tournament, noting that he is expecting high levels of rivalry amongst the players.
“The tournament over the years has grown and it’s primarily because of two things. One is the executives of the Lusignan Golf Club have been very instrumental in pushing this tournament and making sure it is the premier tournament in Guyana, and we’re very happy to align with it because of that stature. But is also about so much talents coming in to give our local players a run for the money as you would say,” Joao related.
Like the men’s competition, the female category is also expected to be highly competitive with nine golfers taking the field.
However, Guyana will only be represented by defending champion Christine Sukhram and Joann Deo; the other females are from overseas. Club captain Rawle Moore used the forum to appeal to more females to get involved in the game locally.
“We would like to seize the opportunity to ask all ladies around the country to be part of golf. It brings a sense of discipline and it also brings a sense of social networking. Most executives or ladies who are professionals or semi-professionals can come along and join the game because we at the Lusignan Golf Club are all about improving the lives of people,” Moore explained.
The marquee players for this year’s competition are defending champion in the men’s division, Trinidad and Tobago-based Guyanese Papo Haniff, Avinash Persaud, Avinda Kishore, Mohanlall Dinanauth, Vijay Deo and Alfred Mentore among others.
The men’s category will see rivalry in handicaps 0-9, 10-18 and 19-28 with the best gross and net being rewarded, while on the distaff side, the players will compete with handicaps 0-36.