Local wins Real Madrid tourney

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

The team of Hugh Logan, Jes Olson, Charlie Chin and John Kapthan emerged champions of Sunday's inaugural Real Madrid Football School Programme Golf Tournament at the Cinnamon Hill Golf Course in Montego Bay, after finishing with a net score of 43.

"It was a fantastic inaugural tournament," said Robert Ames, the tournament and golf director at Cinnamon Hill. "This tournament was for a worthy cause, and I am happy that the weather was great and the course was in such fantastic condition."

The second place finishers in the tournament - which featured over 40 participants divided into several groups - was the team of Rick Waite, Val Waite, Scott Pearson and Cam Frostick, who had a net score of 45. The quartet of Manu Chandiramani, Jum Suk Moon, Kevin Moon and Dr Winn Zor, with a net score of 50, took third place.

ideal conditions

"The conditions were just ideal, so there was no reason for the participants not to have a great time," said Spain's ambassador to Jamaica, Celsa Nuño, who is president of the Spanish-Jamaica Foundation.

"It is very rewarding to know that so many people came out here today to support this tournament, which was primarily to generate funding for the Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration," added Nuño, who participated in the tournament and had the distinction of winning one of the long-drive awards.

The Real Madrid Football School for Social Integration, which was established last year, currently provides training for over 30 young footballers (boys and girls) between six and 12 years. The school, which is managed by former Reggae Boyz goalkeeper, Aaron Lawrence, is currently being operated on lands adjoining the Hilton Rose Hall hotel in Montego Bay.

In addition to the three teams that took the major prizes, which included weekend packages at top-flight hotels such as Secrets, Bahía Principe, Grand Palladium, RIU Hotels and dinner for two at top restaurants in western Jamaica, there were several prizes for 'closest to pin shots' in the tournament, which was played according to the ³/⁴ handicap format.

The 'closest to pin shots' winners were as follows: on hole number two, Charlie Chin; hole number four, Ambassador Nuño; hole number 13, Scott Pearson; and hole number 15, Val White.

"The school is doing quite well and we are proud of the youngsters," said Lawrence. "In addition to football, we are also teaching the youngsters Spanish and a great deal of emphasis is being placed on discipline and good order."

While the school is currently being operated out of temporary facilities, Lawrence said that the ultimate goal is to establish a school on lands given to the Real Madrid Football School in the Rose Hall area. That facility is expected to feature several world-class football fields.