Big field for 51st Jamaica Open Golf Championship
Published:Wednesday | December 6, 2017 | 12:00 AM
A big field of more than 100 golfers will tee off this morning at the prestigious 51st Jamaica Open Golf Championship at the Half Moon Golf Course in Montego Bay, St James. The 54-hole championship will end on Saturday.
Total prize money is US$100,000, with the winner set to pocket $US17,000.
Three past PGA winners are among the professionals. They are multiple PGA winners Fred Funk and Ollin Brown and former PGA winner Jene Jones. On the amateur side, there is national champion Sean Morris, Jonathan Newnham, Justin Burrowes and former JGA president Wayne Chai Chong.
This year's entrants are drawn from nine countries including United States, Austria, England, Bermuda, Germany, Canada, Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda and host country Jamaica.
According to Peter Chin, president of the Jamaica Golf Association: "For the first time this year, the top four professionals in this year's Open will be awarded automatic spots in the 2018 Latino America PGA BMW Jamaica Classic (April 30-May 6) courtesy of SportsMax".
Spencer Edwards, director of golf at the Half Moon Golf Course, said all is in place for the tournament.
"Everything is in place for a successful tournament. The course is in good shape, and it is now for the golfers to show their hand," Edwards said.
The sponsors on board for this year's Jamaica Open include Jamaica Tourist Board, Half Moon Golf Course, Sports Development Foundation, Best Dressed Chicken, Heineken, Wisynco, Juici Patties, Golf Ventures, Hecor Turf, Rainforest Foods, JN and television partner TVJ.