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 21^st 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.

William Knibbs battled the weather and a tough field to emerge champion of the two-day Constant Spring Golf Classic that concluded on Sunday at the Constant Spring Golf Club in Kingston.

Knibbs had a two-day score of 152 to end up five shots ahead of Zandre Roye after both had scored 78s on Saturday’s opening day.

"It felt great to win today (Sunday). I was tied for the lead coming into today. (I) didn't get off to a hot start, doubled the first hole. (The) first swing went out of bounds so after the first hole today (Sunday) I gave myself a three-shot deficit to overcome, which at times extended to a four-shot deficit between me and Zandre (Roye) but I was able to hold it down towards the end. I played really well on the back-nine. That helped me to narrow the gap," Knibbs said afterwards.

Dr. Mark Newnhan with scores of 83 and 79 (162) was the third spot edging last year's winner Sean Morris who scored 164 after posting 89 and 75 over the two rounds.

Jodi Munn-Barrow was the only woman in the field and gave a good account of herself with scores of 77 and 76 for a combined total of 153.

The top performers in the various categories were:

Men & Men Senior 7-12 - Bruce Levy 159 (77, 82), Bruce Lopez 173 (88, 85) and Christopher Carvalho 174 (88, 86).

The Men and Men Senior 13-24 category went to Mitchell Watson - 185 with scores of 86 and 99.

Mike Gleichman 159 won the Men Super Senior 0-12 section over Metry Seaga 164. Ronald Ross 166 copped third place.

Linval Freeman 194, George Wright 197 and Paul Chai Chong 199 were the top three in the Men Super Senior 13 -24.

The Masters category went to Vivian Monteith who posted 183 over the two rounds.

The only junior in the field was Jerone Thomas who competed in the Boys Under 18 category. He posted 184 for his two rounds.

Former national champion Sean Morris pulled off a commanding victory during Sunday’s final round of the Constant Spring Golf Classic at the Constant Spring Golf Club while being the only player to record an under-par score on the par 70 course.

Morris shot a three-under-par 67 to win by 11 shots over runner-up William Knibbs. Aman Dhiman was further back in third in the Men & Men Senior 0-6 category.

Morris scored 72 on the opening day for a combined score of 139. Over the two rounds, he carded nine birdies, six bogeys and a double-bogey at the 15^th hole on opening day. He was at his best on the front nine on Sunday when he shot three birdies to be three-under.

"I am on my way back with some new equipment so the journey is going to be a hard one,” Morris said afterwards.

“After the tournament I played at Caymanas, I knew there was something in these clubs but I still have some adjustment to do so I am still not as confident as I would like to be with them. The score was 72 on the first day and 67 on the second day which is a total of one-under par. An under par round on any golf course in Jamaica is a commendable score, so I am really happy with it."

He said he was satisfied with the playing conditions.

“The course was in pretty good shape,” he said.

“The greens were a little bit inconsistent but it’s the same course that everybody plays so everybody has to figure it out. I am happy to be the one who came out on top this weekend."

Knibbs, meanwhile, carded a three-over-par 73 one day one and was seven for a 77 on Sunday for a total 150. Dhiman scored 83 and 79 for a combined score of 162.

The top performers in the various categories were as follows:

Men & Men Senior 7-12 - Vikram Dhiman 153 (74, 79), Philip Gooden 164 (80, 84) and Clive Newman 171 (88, 83).

Men and Men Senior 13-24 - Courtney Cephas 175 (81, 94) and Mitchell Watson 215 (108, 107).

Men Super Senior 0-12 - Wayne Chai Chong 156 (73, 83), Radcliff Knibbs 158 (82, 76) and Bert Tomlinson 160 (81, 79).

Men Super Senior 13 -24 - Vivian Monteith 186 (84, 102), Linval Freeman 188 (90, 98) and Howard Lau 192 (97, 95).

Boys 16-17 Noah Azan 165 (84, 81) and Zaniel Knight 178 (93, 85).

Boys 14-15 - Lek Drummond 191 (100, 91).

Girls 14-15 - Samantha Azan (73, 80)