Hamel-Smith blisters Plantations course

TRINIDAD and Tobgo’s golfers yesterday began their challenge with a flourish in the 47th annual Caribbean Amateur Championships on the Plantations Beach and Golf Resort course in Tobago.

At the end of the first round the hosts hold a commanding four-shot lead in the Hoerman Cup competition and are ahead by one stroke in the Higgs and Higgs super senior contest. The home team also share a first place tie with three others in the Francis Steele-Perkins senior category. The Bahamas have snatched the upper hand in the George Teale Trophy for women; while defending champions Puerto Rico held their own in the Ramon Baez Trophy, a new category introduced this year for men over 35. But the day, blessed clear blue skies and a slight wind blowing from the nearby ocean belonged to Corey Hamel-Smith, the young local star who shot a blistering round of five under par 67, the best score of the day. He was well-supported by Carlos “Sexy” Baynes who had an excellent one under 71, and Shane Costelloe, who returned two over. Dion Gonsalves shot a three over but the best three scores count in the Hoerman Cup. In second spot were title-holders Puerto Rico, four shots off the pace (216) while Jamaica were one shot back (217) in third. The TT team had earlier received a big morale booster when their super senior players Asraph Ali and Edward Grell came back to the club house in Lowlands with a one under total of 71 just before lunchtime to head their category. One shot off the pace are Puerto Rico (71) while Cayman Islands are third with 72. The TT women are a disappointing fourth among the region’s women in the George Teale Trophy, seven shots off the pace set by leaders Bahamas who had a best score of even par 72. Cayman islands (73) are second followed by Barbados (76) in third with TT next. Teenaged sisters Diana and Michelle Torry both returned scores of seven over and must stage a remarkable comeback to challenge the leaders today. In the Francis Steele-Perkins category the TT team of Louis de Meillac and Ray Roberts (71) are tied with Bahamas, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. And in the Ramon Baez Trophy, Arjoon Samlal (79) and Barry Ferdinand (86) are lodged in fifth spot behind leaders Puerto Rico (71), US Virgin islands (75), Dominican Republic (76) and Jamaica (77). Second round gets underway from 7 am today.

Hoerman Cup: 1 TT 212 (C Hamel Smth 67, C Baynes 67, S Costelloe 74, Dion Gonalves 75); 2 P Rico 216 (R Slavonia 70, M Alverio 73, E Morales 73, R Rivera 75); 3 Jamaica 217 (J Garbutt 70, O Samuda 73, P Thompson 74, M Scott 76); 4 Barbados 218 (J Johnson 71, S Stollmeyer 73, D Boardley 74, C Leacock 75); 5 Bahamas 223 (K Turnquest 72, S Bain73, J Sweeting 78, P McIntosh 80); 5. USVI 223 (J Streibich 72, M Graci 74, R Berkeley 77, R Behling 87); 7 D Republic 224 (O Guerrero 73, J Fernandez 75, J Campusano 76, M Midence 78); 8 OECS 228 (T Levine 73, E Edwin 77, I Hixon 78, C Alcide 82); 9 Cayman Is 232 (O Burton 74, A Geraghty 79, M Wight 79, T Moore 85); 10 Turks and Caicos 249 (JP Srinark 78, R Lavard 82, S Paradis 89, J Donatien 98).

Higgs and Higgs: 1 TT 70 (A Ali, E Grell); 2 P Rico 71 (Luis Gonzales, O Melendez); 3 Caymans 72 (M Cantin, D Stewart); 4 Bahamas 73 (H Poitier, P George,); 5 Barbados 76 ( G Griffith, P Lashley); 6 Jamaica 76  ( H McDonald, C Taylor); 7 OECS 79 (I Hinkson, B Paul); 8 Turks and Caicos 76 (B Gaynor, K Liroff); 9 USVI 78 (J Hymes, C Williams).

Francis Steele-Perkins : 1 Bahamas 71 (B Rose, V Wells); Jamaica 71 (H Dayes, D Atkinson); P Rico 71 (J Benner, I Ortiz); TT 71 (L de Meillac, R Roberts); 5 D Reopublic 72 (A Dilone, H Then); 6 Barbados 73 (R Skeete, R Piggott); 7 Caymans 74 (R Chilman, T Crawford); 8 Turks and Caicos 74 (G Hurd, J Sims); 9 USVI 75 (O Hendrickson, A Overby); 10. OECS 80 (A Blanchard, J Wright).

George Teale Trophy: 1 Bahamas 72 (J Duncombe 72, G Pyfrom 92); 2 Caymans 73 (S Widner 73, N Chin Coe 84); 3 Barbados 76 (M Johnson 76, J Hole 81); 4 TT 79 (D Torry 79, M Torry 79); 5 P Rico 80 (K Calvesbert 80, L Diaz 85); 6 Jamaica 82 (M Lynn 82, T Terrier 84); 7 USVI 88 (C Colburn 88, A Bourne-Vanneck 91); 7. Turks and Caicos 88 (T Glugosh 88, C Pretorius 82).

Ramon Baez Trophy: 1 P Rico 71 (F Thomas 71, M Santin 75); 2 USVI 75 (C Stancliffe 75, E Gittens 85); 3 D Republic 76 (F Santoni 76, F Valverde—- NS); 4 Jamaica 77 (M Gfleichman 77, F Sutherland 92); 5 TT 79 (A Samlal 79, B Ferdinand 86); 6 Bahamas 80 (M Toporoski 80, A Gibson 81); 7 Barbados 81 (D Blackman 81, M Haynes 82); 8 OECS 82 (C Louis 82, T Verdant 85); 9 Caymans 83 (R Woods 83, G Christie 85).