Sports
Jelani Beckles
FORMER West Indies captain Daren Sammy will compete at the 114th TT Open next month, alongside some of the best golfers from TT and the region.
The TT Open will be held at both the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort in Tobago and at St Andrews Golf Club in Moka, Maraval, from March 19-27.
Golfers from around the Caribbean and the world will travel to TT including participants from Bahamas, Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Canada, USA, Bermuda and United Arab Emirates.
Some of the local senior players competing are Ben Martin and Chris Richards Snr. Two of the junior TT players participating are Chris Richards Jnr and Zico Correia.
On March 19, the week of activities will begin with an opening ceremony at Magdalena. The TT Golf Open from March 24-27 will end a busy week of activities at St Andrews Golf Club.
“We have a full week of golf in March,” president of the TT Golf Association Wayne Baptiste said at the tournament launch at St Andrews, on Wednesday.
“World Cup captain Daren Sammy together with other persons are registered to play the tournament from St Lucia.”
Sammy, who West Indies to T20 World Cup titles in 2012 and 2016, is expected to compete in the first flight category. Former Cricket West Indies president Dave Cameron has also shown interest in competing.
In the professional category golfers will vie for the top prize of $15,000 US, second place will earn $8,000 US and third place will walk away with $6,000 US.
Some of the sponsors of the TT Golf Open are First Citizens, NiQuan Energy, Guardian Group, Caribbean Airlines, National Lotteries Control Board, TN Ramnauth and Company, Kenson Group of Companies, Crystal, Paria and Kee-Chanona Ltd.
The TTGA also received $250,000 from the Prime Minister Sport and Culture Fund.
“Without our sponsors this tournament would not have been possible,” Baptiste said.
The event will held in a safe zone and everyone involved will be fully vaccinated.
Baptiste said, “The TT Open 2022 is a fully vaccinated tournament. The entire St Andrews Golf Club and Golf Course will be a safe zone. Even visitors who are coming to witness the tournament must provide full (proof) of vaccination on entrance.”
Justin Latapy-George, executive manager, sport development and performance unit at the Sport Company of TT, said, “On behalf of the Sports Company of TT let me also pledge our continued support to not just golf, but to all other stakeholders.”
A few sponsor representatives who attended the launch were thrilled to contribute to the 114th edition of the TT Golf Open.
Marina Whiteman, senior manager sales administrations at Guardian Group, said, “We at Guardian, as everyone would know, we are all about health and fitness and wellness so we are happy to be part of this sponsorship.”
Robin Lewis, general manager retail and commercial at First Citizens, said, “First Citizens Group has been a major supporter of sport in general in TT. It is one of our strategic pillars under our CSI (corporate social investment) initiative…we thank the TTGA for the opportunity for us to assist in sponsorship.”
