National golf trials tee off

The 2011 Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships will be hosted at the Millennium Lakes Golf Course in Trinidad & Tobago from July 31-August 7. In their quest for a place on the national team, Jamaica's best golfers will tee off today at the Cinnamon Hill Golf Course in Montego Bay.

The top finishers in the Men's Order of Merit for the 2010-2011 season will vie for five spots on the Hoerman Cup Team. Strong contenders in this field are Wesley Brown, Fabian Campbell, Ian Facey, William Knibbs, and Jonathan Newnham. Campbell is fresh from his win in the Audi National Amateur Golf Championships and the amateur section of the PGAJ Players Championship.

Carl Bruce, Radcliff Knibbs , Mark Newnham, Gifford Wilmot, John O'Donoghue, Philip Prendergast, Sean Morris and Keith Stein are also in contention for the Ramon Baez team. Prendergast and Morris represented Jamaica in the Ramon Baez team event last year.

Among the Seniors vying for the two spots on the Francis & Steele-Perkins team are JGA President Wayne Chai Chong, Robert Chin, Greg Chong and Rory Jardine. Jardine took the Seniors title in the Audi National Amateur Golf Championship and Chai Chong finished second.

Gordon Hutchinson, the Super Senior Champion from that event, is among the golfers competing for a spot on the Higgs & Higgs Trophy Team. Other contenders include past national representatives Dennis Atkinson, Fred Sutherland and Hamar Dayes. Opeton Marshall and Sherold Philibert are also players to watch in this category.

Leiza Blakeley, Michele Gabay, Sally Roper and junior golfer Rochelle Prince will test their skills for a spot on the George Teale Trophy Team.

Teddy Richards, director for the four-day event, noted that the Cinnamon Hill Golf Course is in great condition and expects some good scores over the four rounds.

The National Trials will commence at 8 a.m. today.