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Day One of Baxter Media tourney leaves all to play for

Published:Saturday | October 28, 2023 | 12:07 AMAinsley Walters/Gleaner Writer
Team 6, repping for the Winnipeg Jets, standing, from left, are Belinda van Oeveren and Jacqui Mosiondz. Kneeling, from left, are Sid Oeveren and Barry Mosiondz. The quartet taking part in the 2023 Baxter Canadian Travel Advisors Golf Tournament are from F
Courtesy of Shawntel Hill
Team 6, repping for the Winnipeg Jets, standing, from left, are Belinda van Oeveren and Jacqui Mosiondz. Kneeling, from left, are Sid Oeveren and Barry Mosiondz. The quartet taking part in the 2023 Baxter Canadian Travel Advisors Golf Tournament are from Fareconnect Travel & Cruise Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.

TEAM 1, COMPRISING David McClung, Jackie and Addie Smith, plus Sandals’ Jake Coldiron, national manager, golf sales, yesterday grabbed first-day advantage, eight under-par, 63, a two-stroke lead in the Baxter Media Canadian Travel Advisors Golf Tournament at Sandals Golf and Country Club at Upton, St Mary.

Hot on the heels of Team 1 are Teams 3 and 5, 65 each, entering today’s 18 of the 36-hole tournament, one of three staged annually by Sandals to promote Jamaica as a golfing destination.

The longest-running of the three, preceding the United States and Latin American tournaments, the Baxter Media Canadian Travel Advisors match has 16 teams this year, fielding 61 players.

Overnight rain, which continued into mid-morning, forced a delayed start, soon giving way to glorious sunshine, dispelling Sandals’ golf director Jonathan Newnham’s early predictions of slower greens.

Maureen Barnes-Smith, vice president, sales, Unique Vacations, Canada, said the tournament continues to positively impact visitor arrivals to Jamaica.

“It’s gonna be a very competitive tournament,” said Barnes-Smith, noting that the tournament fields seasoned golfers such as last year’s defending champions and runners-up.

Team 3 comprises Christopher Gregotis, Leo Tam, Tom Liu and Wendy Hsu. Team 5, who will also be aiming to make inroads today, comprises David Harris, Doug Rollheiser, Jacques Gilbert and Jason Jenkins.

Meanwhile, the male and female Closest to the Pin and Longest Drive contests, proceeds of which go to the Sandals Foundation, earned US$626.02 after today’s first 18 holes.

Participants in Sandals’ Junior Golf Programme, which mentors children from in and around the Upton and Exchange communities of St Mary, drive holes nine and 18 for males and females, respectively, for which the players make contributions to the foundation.