Lara, Smith for Cotton Tree Charity golf

WEST Indies batting maestro Brian Lara and South African Captain Graham Smith will take the challenge off the wicket and onto St Andrew’s Golf Course, Moka tomorrow as they participate in the Cotton Tree Foundation Charity Golf Tourna-ment. The Cotton Tree Foundation, which has been in existence for 12 years, is a registered charitable organization established in 1993, for the benefit of disenfranchised residents of Belmont, St Ann’s, Cascade and environs and operates as a non-profit charitable trust. Smith has Simon Jabbar, Enver Mall, Vincent Barnes, AB de Villers, Mark Boucher, Gustav Obermeyer, Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince putting with him.

But the South Africans may also find this West  Indies team hard to beat. The legendary Sir Gary Sobers, Sir Vivian Richards, Ian Bishop and Desmond Haynes with local golf champs Carlos “Sexy” Baynes and Trevor Lavine will be defending WI’s name. This time, it’s all about the handicap. The draw of teams for the two ball better ball tournament took place last Friday at Trotter’s restaurant. The draw, facilitated by representatives of platinum sponsor Petrotrin and gold sponsors First Citizens Bank and National Lottery Control Board, allows amateurs to be teamed up with the sporting celebrities.

Last year’s winner Annan Rajpaulsingh, who had English opening batsman Marcus Trescothick as his partner, has been paired with Prince. The South African has a five handicap. Dr Spencer Perkins, a gynaecologist with a 22 handicap has been paired with the South African captain. Lara, who has a seven handicap, teams up with Franklyn Daharu of National Flour Mills. Asgar Ali is partner to Sir Garfield Sobers while captain of St Andrew’s Golf Club Jean de Meillac is partner to SA’s opening batman de Villers. Brian Weekes partners with top South African cricketer Jacque Kallis.

First tee tomorrow is 8.30 am. Participants will vie for a trip for two and a weekend of golf at Royal St Kitt’s Golf Club as the first prize. Among the other prizes to be won are a 27” flat screen TV and a Digital Camera. For the golfers with the chef alter ego, a fiesta barbecue grill may be the objective to participate in the tourney. Trips for two to Barbados as well as to Le Grand Courlan and Kariwak Village Hotel, Tobago are also up for grabs. Golfers with some fashion sense on the day could also win $500 clothing vouchers from FCUK. The male or female golfer with the longest drive will each receive dinner for two at Lighthouse Restaurant, Crews Inn Marina. A hamper from Hand Arnold will be given to the golfer with nearest pin front/back.