By Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport
MORE THAN 270 players from 10 Caribbean countries will tee off today in the sixth MasterCard Caribbean Classic which will be staged on three of Jamaica's north coast courses.
Golfers from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, the US Virgin Islands, the Organisation of East Caribbean States (OECS), Puerto Rico, Barbados, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands will battle for team honours over 54 holes at the White Witch, Three Palms and Ironshore layouts.
Although primarily a fun event, logistically it is arguably the biggest tournament hosted by the island since the Johnnie Walker Classics of the 1990s.
Trinidad and Tobago are the overall and men's defending champions while Puerto Rico won the women's section last year.
However, a large Jamaica contingent should see the hosts put up a sturdy challenge on their home courses over the next three days.
"I think we will give a good account of ourselves," national champion John Smith said earlier this week. "We are at home so that should be an advantage but a whole heap of Trinis have come so I expect them to be tough. This is a fun event compared to the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship but we still take it quite serious," he said.
There are seven men's and women's handicap flights (0-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-25, 26-30, 31-36). The best Stableford score in each flight counts towards the team's total each day.
Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) president Arthur Ziadie said the island won the right to host the 2001 and 2002 Classics after a tough struggle with the Dominican Republic.
"I think what swung it our way was that they (DR) had hosted it recently and I think Ritz-Carlton's magnificent White Witch course also was a key factor. Mrs (Michelle) Rollins also played a part through her Rose Hall Development company," Ziadie said.
"This event gives us a great chance to show off our golfing facilities. We are working at making Jamaica a golf destination and this is just the tip of the iceberg."
The three courses could emerge the stars of the show with picturesque White Witch leading the way.
"It's the No. 1 course and is in immaculate condition," Ziadie said.
Smith, who will be leading the charge in the lowest of the handicap flights (0-5), agrees.
"I love White Witch. Every hole is a challenge," Smith said. "You have to get the shots right ... the drives cracking."
The recently renovated Wyndham Three Palms course (formerly Rose Hall) also earned high praise.
"It will be as good as White Witch in two to three months," Ziadie said.
"The back nine is much more friendly than it used to be," said Smith. "The greens are better and its layout now is far superior to what it was."
Ironshore, which has struggled with irrigation problems, is regarded as the least enticing the 'three sisters' but still offers golfers unique challenges.
"I think it will be the most forgiving course for the higher handicap people," Ziadie said. "With the assistance of the JGA and SuperClubs, we are getting the course into top shape. The clubhouse facilities have been upgraded and the greens putt as good as the other two courses."
Looking ahead to the 2002 Classic, Ziadie said there were plans to broaden the event to include other courses.
"We have sent out a survey to see if the players would like to make it a 72-hole event; a fun first day - probably at Tryall - and then the three-day tournament at White Witch, Three Palms and maybe Half Moon. We approached Half Moon about using their course this year but it was booked for something else," he said.
"We also have to tap into the North American market so we might look at inviting some clubs out of the US in 2002."
Ziadie is adamant Jamaica can become a premier Caribbean golf destination and hosting the Classic is just the start.
"For Jamaica golf to move forward we have to identify what we have, what we need and prepare a marketing plan. We have people working in that direction now. It should be ready by the end of summer - September/October.
"Then we will go to the Government with the overall plan and be able to show what the returns can be," Ziadie said.
"We need more golf course development, more courses and the hotel industry to understand what golf can do for drawing tourists to Jamaica," he said.
"Right now, we are a long way behind the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Cuba plans to build about 10 new courses."
