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12th Scramble Golf Champs

In a bid to raise over $1 million, the Jamaica Cancer Society will be staging their 12th annual Scramble Golf Charity Championships today at the Constant Spring Golf Club, starting at 7 a.m.

At last year's tournament, the Cancer Society raised close to $500,000 for their various projects from the tournament, which was also held at the same venue.

However, with sponsors such as The Gleaner Company, Justbet, Allied Insurance Brokers and First Global Investments on board for the tournament, Carol Blair, administrative director of the Jamaica Cancer Society, said she is very optimistic they will meet this year's target.

"The money that we raise from all our fund-raising activities will go towards all the societies education and screening programmes," said Blair.

Wayne Wray, organiser of the tournament, said he is expecting a very intriguing day of golf because some of the island's best players will be on show."

"I expect us to have a good turnout from both male and female golfers because we have made a special attempt to include the ladies golfers in this tournament," said Wray.

"We have a lot of prizes from our corporate sponsors with over 30 prizes with to be won including gate prizes for our non-golfers," he said.

Wray added: "We are urging everybody to come out and play their part in the game as well as the fight against cancer because this is a worthwhile event."

Robert Chin, Mark Newnham, and George Hugh are among the top male golfers who will be on show while on the ladies side, Jody Munn, Maggie Lyn and Michelle Gabay are top female golfers who will be parading their skills in the championship.

Wray & Nephew skittles launched

The annual Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum skittles competition was launched before a large crowd at Mystix Sports Bar, 78 3/4 Hagley Park Road on Sunday, but play will not start until Sunday, May 1.

The five-week delay is to allow the Jamaica Skittles Federation enough time in which to put everything in place for the smooth running of the competition, which has attracted 13 teams, including defending champions Eagles.

The competition will facilitate a Premier League including the top seeded teams and a Major League to be contested by the weaker teams. The organisers are also contemplating a four-hole competition among the ranking players to run concurrently with the league.

In addition to Eagles, the other participating teams are the recent Pattex Cup champions Mystix, Eastern All-Stars, Rowe's Strikers, Starliner, Dragon, Willies Strikers, Mister C, Mercury, Waltham Strikers, Olympic Strikers as well as Hangover and The Dip, both from Portmore.

Dominic Beckord, brand manager White Overproof Rum at Wray & Nephew, represented the sponsors at the launch.

Each team was presented with Wray & Nephew T-shirts to be worn by all players during the competition.

The Jamaica Skittles Federation oversees two major competition each year - the Pattex Cup sponsored by Henkel and the White Overproof competition.

Mojo programme continues

The ongoing MOJO in-the-city golf project is set to continue into the summer term. Two primary schools, St Aloysius and St Anne's were introduced to the Starting New At Golf (SNAG) programme in October of 2010. Since that time, Jamaica Golf Association instructors have conducted coaching sessions with 54 children from both schools.

The SNAG programme, a creative way of introducing golf to youngsters, was created in Canada. The system has been used extensively in Trinidad and Tobago where they hope to have the programme running in all their schools. All the elements of golf are involved, but in a modified format. The equipment allows players to make all the necessary golf shots and can be adapted for use anywhere. The Jamaica Golf Association (JGA), in a release, said it has taken the game to the students in their environment two afternoons each week.

Sixteen promising students have been identified for the second phase of the programme and they will be taken to the Caymanas golf course to be formally introduced to the game. Sessions will run twice per week with an assigned coach. Ten students will go on to the third phase and it is hoped that these students will show enough potential to be invited to train with the national junior team.

Initial sponsorship of the programme, the release said, evolved from the MOJO 6 LPGA Tournament, which was played at Cinnamon Hill last April. MOJO Marketing, organisers of the MOJO 6 LPGA tournament, saw the project as a worthwhile venture and a way to introduce students to the game of golf, build a cadre of players who will hopefully go on to represent the country in the sport and also remove the stigma of golf being an elitist sport. MOJO Marketing continues to sponsor the programme.

Rivoli in Confed Super League semis

Former Digicel Premier League team, Rivoli United, has booked the first semi-final spot in the 2011 season of the South Central Confed Super League with four rounds to be completed.

Rivoli travelled to Clarendon last weekend and defeated New Bowens 2-0 to move to an unassailable 27 points in Zone A. The nearest challengers, Bodles, are on 15 points, and this was achieved after they defeated fellow St Catherine team, Newland, 2-0. The second semi-final spot from this zone is far from decided with five other teams still with a mathematical chance, including last-place Mile Gully on nine points.

Meadows remain overwhelming favourites to secure the first semis spot in Zone B despite drawing 0-0 with Tru Juice last weekend. Meadows, champions last season, are on 26 points, four more than second-place Monymusk who were surprisingly beaten by Downs 2-0. The vastly improved Downs (19 pts) are unbeaten in six games and now have a shot at seriously vying for a semi-final place.

In other results last weekend: Naggo Head travelled to Hunslow in St Elizabeth to defeat Newell 1-0 while Mile Gully and De La Vega drew 0-0.

Games on tomorrow: Rivoli vs Mile Gully; De La Vega vs Bodles; New Bowens vs Newland; Downs vs Tru-Juice; Monymusk vs Newell; and Meadows vs Naggo Head.

Under-20 matches will precede Super League games.

Major League semis in St Elizabeth

The semi-finals of the Wray & Nephew-sponsored St Elizabeth Major league kicks off today when Appleton take on Tafari Lions at the New Town Community Centre in Black River.

The second semi-final gets under way tomorrow at the St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) field in Santa Cruz, and features a replay of the mid-season final which was contested by Super Action and Black River. Both games kick off at 3:30 p.m.

In today's game, Appleton appear to have the edge after defeating Tafari Lions on their home ground in Lacovia 2-1 before drawing the return leg 1-1. Tafari Lions, however, are the more experienced at this level with more titles and involvement at the higher Confed level. The two compiled identical preliminary round records, ending on the same points (31), with Appleton just pipping Tafari Lions in the goalscoring column by one.

Super Action have been the dominant team of the preliminary round amassing 38 points, nine more than their opponents. However, Black River will ride on the psychological edge of having beaten their opponents in the mid-season final.

Clarendon Major League

Vastly improving Woodhall have closed in on Gimme-Me-Bit's (25 points) lead in the Claro/Captain's Bakery Clarendon Major League.

Woodhall are now on 23 points, following up their 1-0 defeat of mid-season finalists Spartan Athletic, with a 2-1 away win over Gayle last weekend . The last win pushed Woodhall from third to second for the first time this season.

Other results last weekend: Third-place Spartan (21) drew 0-0 with Longwood, Milk River spanked Original Hazard 3-0 and York Town and Free Town drew 3-3.

The rest of the standings read: Milk River and Original Hazard (16 points); York Town and Longwood (14); Free Town (9) and Gayle (5).

New Green lead Manchester Major League

New Green have shot to the top of The Captain's Bakery-sponsored Manchester Major League after spanking Young Diamonds 3-0. New Green are on 23 points, with Porus on 21, and mid-season champions Hillstars third on 19.

Other results last weekend: Mandeville United and Porus ended 2-2; Kendal stopped Star Liner 2-0; Georges Valley defeated Comfort 2-0.

In results from Thursday, Mandeville United earned their first win of the season beating Hillstars 1-0. Porus clipped Young Diamonds 1-0 and Comfort beat Kendal, also 1-0.

Matches on this weekend: Today: Young Diamonds vs Comfort at Handbury and Georges Valley vs Mandeville United. Sunday: Hillstars vs Kendal at Cobbla.

Hopewell lead Division Two

Hopewell recorded their second straight victory in the Power Services Company Limited (PSCL) sponsored Manchester Division Two competition after defeating Cobbla/Gully Strikers 2-0. They now lead the overall standings on six points, following an earlier 4-0 thumping of Clandon Strikers.

Tri Star created the biggest surprise result of the last round of matches, handing Grey Ground a 2-1 defeat. Grey Ground achieved the biggest win of the season hammering Harmons 5-0. Tri Star's win was actually a rebound, having lost to Fairfield 1-2.

In other subsequent results, Flavour handed Lynhurst their second 2-1 loss while Allied edged Harmons 1-0. DC Strikers gained their second straight draw with a 1-1 result against Villa.

Matches slated for next week: Cobbla/Gully Strikers host Clandon Strikers on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, All Fairfield got the better of Tri Star 2-1 while Old England and DC Strikers ended 1-1.

Northampton, Rocky Hill lead

Unbeaten Northampton and Rocky Hill are the respective zone leaders of the St Elizabeth Co-op Credit Union Division One competition.

Last weekend, Northampton who head Zone A on 16 points completed their fifth win with a 2-0 result against Newcombe Valley. Earlier victories came against Middle Quarters (2-1), Retrieve, (2-1) and Black River (3-1).

Zone B is far more competitive. Rocky Hill regained the top spot following their 2-0 away win over Prospect FC. The two teams drew 2-2 in their first-round clash. Rocky Hill are on 12 points, just one more than previous leaders Knoxwood (11) who were beaten 2-1 by third-place Longwood (10), Haughton follow on seven, with New Market (4) and bottom-place Prospect FC (3)

Four rounds of matches remain, with the top four overall on points, slated to advance to the semi-finals.