Baynes leads TT Open

CARLOS ‘‘Sexy’’ Baynes stormed out of the blocks and took the lead after the first day of the 97th annual Trinidad and Tobago Golf Open Championships yesterday. The Tobago-born Baynes, who is the sport’s male nominee at tonight’s WITCO Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards, carded an even-par 72 at the St Andrew’s Golf Course, Moka, Maraval. But the former champ cannot afford to be complacent on the Moka greens today as only five strokes separate the top 14 golfers in the Men’s Championship Flight. Another ex-champ Trevor Levine of St Kitts will begin today’s second day with a one-over-par 73, with local trio Shane Costelloe, Corey Hamel-Smith and Dion Gonsalves joint third on 74.

Sharing sixth spot with a score of 76 are Mitchum Jasper and TT-born Barbadian Scott Stollmeyer, while Jesse Jattan, Robert Llanos, Patrick Boocock, Simon Merry, the Bajan pair of Carlsen Leacock and James Johnson, as well as Zeke Percival of St Kitts all carded five-over-par 77. Other scores – Men’s First Flight: 1. Graham Bethell (Barbados) 79; 2. Christian Stephens 80; 3. Glen Charlett, Kyle Knaggs 81.
Men’s Second Flight: 1. Mark Smith (Barbados), Farouk Bhopa, Rodney Phillip 93; 4. Shaheed Kondiah, Argyle Maynard (Barbados) 95.
Senior Men’s Championship: 1. Roger Beale (Barbados) 79; 2. Ray Roberts 80; 3. Louis De Meillac, William Weir (Barbados) 81.
Senior Men’s First Flight: 1. Louis Ottley 78; 2. Anwar Ali, Roger Hamel-Smith 81.