Stars hit greens in LIME Jamaica Open title challenge

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

The US$85,000 48th LIME Jamaica Open Golf Tournament, the premier tournament on the local golf calendar, will tee off this morning at the Half Moon Golf Course in Montego Bay with a powerful 120-strong field, inclusive of local and international stars.

The line-up, which will have defending champion Ron Schroeder among the contenders, will have reigning US Open Senior champion Olin Browne, the current Senior British Open champion Russ Cochran, and three-time Jamaica Open champion Johnny Bloomfield as the main contenders for the title.

According to Jamaica Golf Association President Wayne Chai Chong, this year's tournament promises to be very special, based on the quality of the field and the unparallelled charm of playing in Jamaica, the leading golf destination in the Caribbean.

"This is the first time that the Jamaica Open has ever attracted two reigning major champions," said the obviously delighted Chai Chong of the tournament, which has attracted golfers from the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin and South America and the Caribbean.

"With such a high-quality field, we are expecting a fantastic tournament," he added.

Based on the profile of Browne and Cochran, defending cham-pion Schroder, multiple PGA and Senior Tour winner Jim Thorpe and Bloomfield, who is chasing a record fourth LIME Jamaica Open title, will be hard-pressed to match them over the three-day 54-hole tournament.

International champions

Cochran, a frequent face on the European circuit where he competes alongside renowned international stars such as Bernhard Langer and Nick Price, was in prime form in the 2011 Senior British Open, which he won by two strokes over Mark Calcavecchia.

Brown, who was quite awesome in taking the US Senior Open, did so in remarkable style as he left an indelible mark on the tournament, sinking an amazing 30-foot birdie on the final hole for his winning score of six under par 65.

In winning the title last year, the resolute Schroder of the United States made it a post-to-post affair, leading from start to finish. On the first day, he shot 67, he got even par on the second day and closed out the championship on the third day with one under par 71, which gave him a winning score of 209.

Broomfield, who shares the record of three LIME Jamaica Open titles with former national star Seymour Rose, who won in 1977, 1982 and 1987, started badly last year and left himself with too much to do at the end, albeit he finished the tournament quite strongly. Broomfield opened with a 73, followed up with even par and then closed with an impressive five under par 67, which saw him ending the tournament with a combined score of 212.

At the recent launch of the three-day tournament, Youth, Sport and Culture Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange said an event with the profile of the LIME Jamaica Open is poised to further advertise to the world that Jamaica is open for business in recreational and professional golf.