MULLET BAY — Marlon George from Antigua, focused and consistent was able among a field of 60 players, to win the title of Tournament Champion during the 29th annual St. Maarten Open Golf Tournament.
Marlon George ended on top on the first day, of the two-day tournament, with a score of 78 gross and on the second day scored a respectable 80 gross, resulting in a 158 Low Gross score taking the Champion title.
The prize for Tournament Overall Low Net was won by Sam Bashir with a total Low Net score of 133 beating the runner up by three strokes.
During the two-day 36 holes tournament that took place over the weekend at the Mullet Bay Golf Course, players from both St. Maarten and St. Martin, joined by a large group of golfers from Anguilla, Curacao, Antigua, St. Kitt’s and Nevis and other neighboring islands as well as from Canada, USA, Great Britain and Germany, got underway on Saturday morning for their first round.
The St. Maarten Golf Association SMGA was able to organize this top ranked tournament due to the great partnership with Mullet Bay Resort & Golf Course, and the relentless efforts from its board members, volunteers as well as the tremendous support it received from both the local and international business community. Proceeds from the event will benefit pre-selected community charities and Youth Sports involvements.
The tournament was played under challenging course conditions with a good breeze and sunny weather. Despite the heat, two players performed the unthinkable, Joanna Ambron and Christopher Gibbons both, on hole 17, made a hole in one!! A remarkable feat.
In the Champions category, the prize of 1st Low Gross was won by Marlon George from Antigua with a score of 158, 1st Low Net was won by Kit Lee from Sint Maarten with a score of 142.
2nd Low Gross was won by Fred Boureau from St. Martin with a score of 164.2nd Low Net was won by Christopher Gibbons from the USA with a score of 145.
In the category Men’s 1st flight for players with a handicap between 10 and 15, Jeffrey Alberga from Curacao came out on top with a score of 167 Low Gross, Andy Homes playing for St. Maarten took first Low Net with a score of 140. In the Men’s 2nd Flight for players with a handicap between 16 and 30, first Low Gross was won by Arun Jagtiani from St. Maarten with a score of 187, first Low Net went to Jacob Streefkerk from St. Maarten with a score of 142.
In a strong field with a total amount of 8 female players that joined the tournament this year, the prize for Low Gross in the Ladies category went to Elodie Royere from St. Martin with a score of 180. Low Net was won by Joanne Ambron from the United States of America with a score of 145.
Elvis Bowrin from St. Kitt’s & Nevis shot 154 to win Low Gross in the category Seniors for players over 50 years old, while Sam Bashir took 1st Low Net with a score of 133.
This year again there were a large number of players participating in the category Super Seniors for golfers over 60 years old. Therefore, this category was split up for players with a handicap lower than 24 and a category with handicaps from 24 to 30. In the ‘Super Senior’s 1st Flight’ Marlon Loncke from St. Kitt’s & Nevis won Low Gross with a score of 162 and Low Net was won by Tony Lake from St. Maarten with a score of 138. The category ‘Super Seniors 2nd Flight’ was won by Keith Graham from Sint Maarten with a score of 188 Low Gross, Stef Rumeser from St. Maarten won Low Net in this category with a score of 140.
The SMGA is a non-profit organization of avid golfers that promotes the practice of the game of golf and to foster community sense. The SMGA organizes golf matches and tournaments for its members and non-members and donates proceeds that are made through tournaments, and during these events like the St. Maarten Open, to multiple community organizations on the island.
