Barbados Today

Golf playing families continued their annual New Year rivalry at the Barbados Golf Club on Sunday in the 5th annual Sagicor General Insurance Family Golf Championships.

Several familiar names teamed-up with children, parents or other relatives, in four categories of competition, and some exciting golf was witnessed on a challenging course in sunny conditions.

In the end, long-serving Barbados Golf Association secretary Trenton Weekes, and son Phillip, emerged overall champions as they registered the best net score of 62 (the score after handicaps were applied) over 18 holes.

They edged brothers Peter and John Williams (also net 62) on the count-back system while Barbados captain James Johnson and father Ralph took the overall gross title with a score of 68. Richie and Paul Alleyne were net runners-up (68) in the parent and child division.

In the husband and wife category, Sagicor General Insurance executive Mark Blakeley and wife Leiza successfully defended their gross title for the third year running with a score of 73, while John and Brenda Phillips took the net title with 65.

Tournament organiser Denis Foster and wife Helen were second on net scores with 66.

In the siblings division, teenaged brothers Josh Jones and Matthew Clarke won the gross prize with a score of 75, while Peter and John Williams (62) took the net prize in that division and were followed by Joseph and Thomas Harris (net 71).

Cousins Nicholas and Rachel Mouttet teamed to win the net prize in the open Category, posting a net 60, and were followed by brothers Robert and James Peirce with 65. Collis Lynch and Livy Webster won the gross prize with a score of 76.

Seventy-two players (comprising 36 two-member teams) contested the 2016 Sagicor General Family Championships which got underway with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.

That represented a full-draw and after the fun and friendly rivalry on the fairways and greens, players gathered in the BGC club house for lunch and a prize-giving ceremony where Blakeley thanked players and organisers for contributing to another successful tournament.

Blakeley told the audience that Sagicor was celebrating 175 years in business and longevity and support of family were important to the company.

“At Sagicor we value family and for the fifth year we are happy to support the family golf championships which provide a great start to the New Year”. (BB)