ALTHOUGH THE field was smaller than usual, there was no lack of keen competition and strong challenges in the Jamaica Golf Association's Easter 36 which teed off the 2003/2004 tournament season and culminated at the Caymanas Golf & Country Club yesterday afternoon.
In the men's section, Michael Gleichman snatched his first victory in a JGA qualifying event in over two years with combined rounds of 82 and one under par 71.
Gleichman's final day round was unmarred except by a solitary bogey at the ninth hole and included birdies on the 5th, 6th and 8th holes. He captured the section over first round leader Damien Spencer who finished with 80, 73.
Wayne Chai Chong (85, 78) was third followed by Mark Blakeley (81, 83).
Hamar Dayes (84, 76) walked away with the top prize in the seniors section after beating out Fred Sutherland (83, 77) with a better final round score.
Both seniors finished with 160, two strokes ahead of Dennis Atkinson (79, 84) and five ahead of Maurice Foster, who enjoyed a remarkable final day 78 to add to his first round 87.
Cleo Taylor was the predictable winner in the superseniors section despite having to stage a come from behind recovery for his victory.
Taylor went into the final round one shot off the pace on 79 behind Jamaica Golf Association's new president and new supersenior on the block, Gordon Hutchinson, and Michael Bachstetz, both with 78.
Second round conditions pushed the scores up for Hutchinson (84) and Bachstetz (86), but Taylor was able to maintain the pace and keep his score right at the 80 mark for a two-stroke victory. A consistent Alwyn Stona (80, 81) finished second, followed by Hutchinson.
The ladies section also saw Darnley Thomas taking the win over Leiza Blakeley on the merit of a better final round score. Thomas finished with 87, 83, while Blakeley played steadily with 85, 85.
Pearl Phipps won the senior ladies section, while Fabian Campbell walked away with the juniors title after a very impressive first round 74, the third lowest gross of the tournament, and a final day 81. Vittoria Marley (118, 113) was the junior girls winner.
The overall nett winners were: Men: Seniors - Paul Moses (71, 71), Superseniors - Alwyn Stona (67, 68), Ladies - Leiza Blakeley (77, 77), Senior Ladies - Rosie Mahfood (76, 790 and Juniors - Garfield Hines (68, 73).
