Three charities are to benefit from proceeds coming from the Red Blazer Charity Golf Classic set for July 22 at the Constant Spring Golf Club, in Kingston, with an 8 a.m. start in full handicap Stableford format.
There will be four categories of players: Men, Ladies, Seniors and Juniors. Eighty golfers are expected to participate to win prizes donated by Corporate Jamaica.
Now in its 21st staging the event is to be hosted by the Liguanea Lodge to benefit the Rotary Club of St. Andrew North Education Foundation; a new bursary at the Tony Thwaites Wing, which will select senior residents carrying out cutting edge research and the 2023-24 Rotary Club of St. Andrew North’s major project focusing on autism.
Since the Rotary Club of St. Andrew North Education Foundation was formed 27 years ago, it has contributed grants to more than 130 students in need at the secondary and tertiary levels. It is funded by earnings from investments and fundraising efforts, including an annual golf tournament which began in 2018.
“We are pleased and grateful that the Liguanea Lodge has identified our Foundation as a worthy beneficiary of proceeds from its tournament. We can forego our tournament this year and yet be in a position to disburse grants to 10 or more students for the September start of the school year,” said Donald Patterson, Director of the Rotary Club of St. Andrew North Education Foundation.
Judith Price, General Manager of the Tony Thwaites Wing of the University Hospital of the West Indies said the hospital was pleased to again partner with the Liguanea Lodge on the annual golf tournament.
“Through this partnership and the proceeds of the event, we will be establishing a new Tony Thwaites Wing (TTW) bursary for doctors enrolled in the Senior Residency programme at the UHWI. We see this as an added opportunity for us to invest in the future of our junior doctors who are undertaking cutting edge research studies and continued education in their respective disciplines. As an established charitable organisation, TTW has a long-standing history of supporting our local health workforce through scholarships and sponsorship programmes for nurses and practising doctors. We are excited about this event and anticipate a great turnout and support for this worthy cause,” she said.
Part proceeds will also go to the Rotary Club of St. Andrew North’s major project for 2023-2024, which is the construction of a new classroom at the McCam Child Development and Resource Centre, in Papine. “The early childhood centre caters to children with autism and during my presidency I wish to complete the project and hand it over. It will cost about $2.6 million and we hope to begin construction in September, based on commitments received,” said Kirk Crichton, newly installed president of the Rotary Club of St. Andrew North.
Presenting sponsor is the Tony Thwaites Wing; Associate Sponsors: MicroLabs and Supreme Venture Foundation; Corporate Sponsor: ICD Group; while hole and prize sponsors include: JN Group, Round Hill, Deja, Grand Hotel Excelsior, Altamont West; Wisynco Group, General Foods, National Supply, Royale Computers and Caribbean Broilers Group.
McIlroy: Golf could learn from Northern Ireland peace process
Rory McIlroy has urged professional golf to find a "compromise" to the ongoing rift between the PGA Tour and the breakaway LIV circuit.
The world number two suggested they should follow the example of the Northern Ireland peace process, recalling the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, a peace deal that helped to end the Troubles in his homeland.
McIlroy noted the advantages of a deal being reached soon while admitting that both golf tours would have to compromise in the process.
Speaking ahead of this week’s Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina, McIlroy said: "I sort of liken it to like when Northern Ireland went through the peace process in the '90s and the Good Friday Agreement. Neither side was happy.
"Catholics weren't happy, Protestants weren't happy, but it brought peace and then you just sort of learn to live with whatever has been negotiated, right?
"That was in 1998, and 20, 25, 30 years ahead, my generation doesn't know any different. It's just this is what it's always been like, and we've never known anything but peace.
"That's sort of my little way of trying to think about it and trying to make both sides see that there could be a compromise here.
"It's probably not going to feel great for either side, but if it's a place where the game of golf starts to thrive again, and we can all get back together, then I think that's ultimately a really good thing."
Tiger Woods confirmed as part of PGA Championship field
Tiger Woods has been officially named as part of the field for next week's PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.
Woods, who has clinched four of his 15 major titles at the PGA Championship, made a record-breaking 24th consecutive cut at the Masters last month.
A nightmare third round of 82 – his worst ever at Augusta National – meant he finished last of all players to make the cut on 16 over, but he immediately outlined his intention to play the remaining three majors of 2024.
On Tuesday, the 48-year-old was officially confirmed as being part of the field for next week's event in Louisville, joining 15 other past winners including Rory McIlroy and defending champion Brooks Koepka.
Two further spots will be allocated to the winners of this week's Wells Fargo Championship and Myrtle Beach Classic.
While McIlroy won the last PGA Championship to be held at Valhalla in 2014, Woods triumphed on the previous occasion in 2000, the first leg of the 'Tiger Slam' in which he held all four major titles at once.
Last week, Woods was given a special exemption to allow him to feature at June's U.S. Open, for which he failed to qualify after slipping to 801st in the world rankings.
Things trending in the right direction for Koepka ahead of PGA Championship defence
Brooks Koepka believes things are trending in the right direction as he prepares to defend his PGA Championship title next week, having warmed up with a two-shot win at LIV Golf Singapore.
Koepka recorded his first triumph on the LIV circuit this year on Sunday, shooting a three-under final round of 68 to see off competition from Australian duo Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith.
A resurgent Smith shot five under in the third round in Singapore, but Koepka carded four birdies and one bogey to ensure he became the first player to win four titles on the LIV tour.
His return to form comes at an ideal time, as he gears up for a bid to win his fourth PGA Championship title – and sixth major overall – at Valhalla Golf Club next week.
"It's all starting to come around. I've put in a lot of work and I like the way things are trending," the Florida native said.
"I just need to go back next week and make sure everything continues, do the right stuff and go from there."
Kopeka had finished in a share of ninth in LIV's previous event in Adelaide one week earlier, four shots back of winner Brendan Steele.
The 34-year-old continued: "I feel good – I feel a lot better than I did last week.
"It was about rounding the corner for me. I was improving but the results weren't there. It's nice to see some results and the hard work paying off.
"I still have the same expectations every time I go tee it up and that's to win. Those are my expectations, what I want to do. One result doesn't mean anything really in the scheme of things.
"For two weeks, a lot can change. Yeah, it does help, but at the same time, I've seen guys miss cuts and then go win and then win and then not compete the week after. It's all ebbs and flows."
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