Lime Jamaica Golf tournament today

The professional side of the 47th LIME Jamaica Open Golf Tournament tees off at the Half Moon Golf Course in Montego Bay this morning, with some 109 participants, including Jamaican Johnny Bloomfield, the defending champion.



The line-up also includes 62 professionals and 47 amateurs.



Several of today’s contestants were involved in a warm-up pro-am tournament yesterday, which offered them an opportunity to get a feel of the course and the playing conditions they are likely to encounter over the next three days.



While the South Korean Charlie Wi and his PGA counterpart, the New Zealander Grant Waite, are the highest ranked players in the field, all eyes will probably be on Bloomfield, who created history last year by becoming the first player to win three consecutive LIME Jamaica Open titles.



In fact, Bloomfield, who is based in Florida, could write himself deeper in the history books, as another win when the tournament ends on Saturday will see him becoming the tournament’s ‘winningest’ player.



Former West Indies cricket captain Brian Lara of Trinidad and Tobago is also down to compete at the tournament, in which US$70,000 will be at stake.