Englishman Matt Wallace shot a stunning 60 for his third round at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

The 33-year-old registered 12 birdies in the 12-under-par round, including one on each of his last nine holes, as he moved to the top of the leaderboard.

He had been on for a 59 before completing his final hole in four.

Put to him that he had equalled DP World Tour records for the most birdies made in one round and the most consecutive birdies, Wallace told Sky Sports: “Equalled? Didn’t get it!

“What a day, amazing day. I just tried my hardest to get myself back into the tournament, so I’m really happy I’ve been able to do that and played great.

“At the end there, I didn’t even think it was for a 59, honestly. I think it helped me a little bit.

“I just played really nice coming down the stretch. Just wanted to keep getting one more if I could and I managed to do that.”

Regarding the potential 59, he added: “Yeah, kind of gutted now actually a little bit! Great opportunity to do it.

“I’ve done it at Moorpark on the West Course which is only a par 68, but to do it out there would have been really special today. Ball in hand helps. I had a couple good lies for up-and-down, but it was fantastic and a good effort.”

At the point that he finished, Wallace – 16 under overall – was two shots clear of nearest rival Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark.

Ryder Cup winner Nicolai Hojgaard produced a brilliant finish to claim a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Hojgaard was two over par after four holes of his second round at Jumeirah Golf Estates, but birdied the fifth and seventh and then covered the back nine in just 30 shots to card a superb 66.

The 22-year-old Dane rounded off his day in style with an eagle from six feet on the par-five 18th to reach 11 under par, with Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland part of a five-way tie for second on nine under.

Hojgaard, who finished second in the Nedbank Challenge on Sunday, said: “It’s a little like last week, I had a slow start in every round and then I know with every round there’s going to be a run of birdies at some point with where my game is so it’s about staying patient.

“I would like to play the front nine a little bit better at the weekend but I’m very satisfied with how I’ve played these two rounds.

“I trust my game at the moment. It’s been a little bit shaky at times this year but I feel like we’re on a good track at the moment and I have confidence in my shots, the selection of shots and the game plan we put in place every round.

“It would be pretty cool (to win). I feel like that’s the only thing I’ve missed this season but there’s two rounds to go and a lot of really good players in this field so I’m going to keep grinding as much as I can.”

Fleetwood and Hovland both matched Hojgaard’s 66, while Antoine Rozner, Thriston Lawrence and Jens Dantorp also share second place following rounds of 67, 64 and 67 respectively.

“No matter where you are in your career it’s great to be here and have a chance to win this tournament and it’s close to my heart now,” said Fleetwood, who lives in Dubai and has an academy at the venue.

“I always feel like it brings out great winners, great champions, so the ultimate goal is to be one of those and have your name on that trophy.”

Defending champion Jon Rahm, who failed to break par for the first time in 17 rounds in the event on Thursday, bounced back with a 66 which included an eagle on the 18th but was marred by a three-putt bogey on the ninth, his final hole of the day.

“It’s a really good round of golf,” the Masters champion said. “I took advantage of the easier conditions and did what I needed to early on. Five under through nine holes with that eagle on 18 is great and just too bad things cooled off a little bit.

“To three-putt the last just leaves a bit of a sour taste but perspective is a big thing and I told Adam [his caddie], if you look at the scorecard the way it’s intended to be read, starting on one, it was a great finish. I’m just going to remind myself of that.”

World number two Rory McIlroy could only add a 72 to his opening 71 to lie 10 shots off the pace.

“I got off to a decent start again, a couple under through nine and then just (hit) some loose shots coming in,” McIlroy said. “I was trying to make some birdies on the back nine and get something going and I couldn’t. I was just stuck in neutral all day.

“There is a low one out there and obviously I’m going to need a low one to get myself back in the tournament.”

Rory McIlroy felt like “something had to give” as he explained his surprise decision to resign from the PGA Tour’s policy board.

McIlroy cited professional and personal commitments for standing down as a player-director in a letter sent to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.

The world number two has been LIV Golf’s most vocal critic and admitted he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” when a shock deal between LIV’s Saudi backers and the PGA Tour and DP World Tour was announced in June.

Speaking after an eventful opening 71 in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, McIlroy told Sky Sports: “I just think I’ve got a lot going on in my life between my golf game, my family and my growing investment portfolio, my involvement in TGL [an indoor golf league], and I just felt like something had to give.

“I just didn’t feel like I could commit the time and the energy into doing that. I don’t mind being busy, but I just like being busy doing my own stuff.

“Something had to give and there’s guys that are on that board that are spending a lot more time and a lot more energy on it than I am. It’s in good hands and I felt like it was the right time to step off.”

Competing for the first time since a career-best performance helped Europe regain the Ryder Cup in Rome, McIlroy carded five birdies and four bogeys in his 71, along with an extraordinary par on the 18th.

His drive on the 650-yard par five bounced off the rocks surrounding a creek which runs the length of the hole and landed in the chip bark off the fairway, from where he pulled his second shot into the creek, only to see it bounce out and on to a bridge.

“I was hoping that my tee shot was going to miss the hazard right but I didn’t exactly think that it would do what it did,” McIlroy, who conceded he was rusty, said.

“And the second shot from the mulch, it just sort of started left on me, and yeah got another stroke of luck by coming back over the bridge.

“I was a bit in two minds about whether to go left and cut it or go right. I felt with the longer club there was a chance of clipping the bridge on the way through. So I took a wedge and just tried to hit it as hard as I could and ended up making a good five.

“The up and down on 17 [from a bunker] and the par on 18 was actually a pretty nice way to end the day.”

Playing partner Jon Rahm was not so fortunate, the defending champion dropping shots on the 17th and 18th to finish level par, five shots off the lead shared by Ryder Cup team-mate Nicolai Hojgaard and the French pair of Julien Guerrier and Matthieu Pavon.

Hojgaard, who was level par at the turn before making five birdies in the next six holes, admitted he had been inspired by being part of Luke Donald’s victorious side in Rome.

“It was huge,” the 22-year-old said.

“Spending time with the best players in the world, fighting for a common goal was amazing, and just being around those guys, seeing what they do, what do I do different, what do I need to work on.

“It gave me a lot of confidence going into the last end of the season here. You want to play with those guys but you also want to beat them.”

Fellow Ryder Cup stars Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton were part of an eight-strong group on three under par.

Masters champion Jon Rahm admits he only has himself to blame for not being able to deny Rory McIlroy a fifth Race to Dubai title in the final event of the season.

McIlroy was assured of topping the money list when Adrian Meronk and Ryan Fox failed to earn enough points in last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge to get within 2,000 points of the world number two.

Only 2,000 points are on offer for the winner of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship and McIlroy was already 2,082.53 ahead of nearest rival Rahm, who chose not to compete in Sun City.

Rahm has previously contested just two regular DP World Tour events in 2023, the Ryder Cup counts as a third and this week’s title defence in Dubai therefore fulfils the minimum requirements for DP World Tour membership.

Rahm admitted it was disappointing for fans that the Race to Dubai had already been settled, but admitted: “At the same time, though, it’s mainly my fault.

“He (McIlroy) played great golf. I could have tried to go to Nedbank and get a few more points to give myself a chance this week. He did what he needed to do and I didn’t.”

Despite not having the chance to win the Race to Dubai for a second time, Rahm still prefers the DP World Tour’s format to that of the PGA Tour, which employs a controversial handicap system in the FedEx Cup.

The player who earns the most points throughout the year begins the season-ending Tour Championship on 10 under par, the second-highest on eight under and so on, on a sliding scale down to the players in 26th to 30th who start on level par.

“I’m not a big fan of the FedEx Cup finals. I’ve said that many times,” Rahm added. “It’s the only sport when you get to the finals, you give somebody an advantage.

“You don’t see whoever had a better record in the Champions League finals start with a 1-0 goal advantage, that just doesn’t happen.

“I would be a bigger fan of somehow point restructuring to where if you win the tournament, like it used to be with the top five going to East Lake, if they won (the Tour Championship) they would win the FedEx Cup.

“At the same time, if you play as good as Rory has and you’ve built up the lead, you’ve earned it. Like I said earlier, I had the option of playing more events, tournaments and trying to earn more points. I just didn’t.

“I think this format is more fair to the better player, whoever played better throughout the year. I think the one that they have in the FedEx Cup right now would be probably more exciting for the viewers. Obviously it all depends what you prefer.”

Rahm has a remarkable record in the DP World Tour Championship, winning it on his debut in 2017 and again in 2019 and 2022, with his worst finish in four appearances being a tie for fourth in 2018.

“It’s something I look forward to and to me it’s a great way to end the year,” Rahm said. “One last competition before we get to the holiday season and kind of get our mind off golf for a little bit. Hopefully I can win it one more time.

“I couldn’t really pinpoint one thing why I’ve had success here. I’m sure the number people can tell you why statistically I’m better, but I think I just happened to play really good on the weeks that I’m here.”

Jon Rahm has backed Rory McIlroy’s decision to resign from the PGA Tour policy board and has no interest in replacing his Ryder Cup team-mate.

The news was revealed by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan in a memo to members late on Tuesday, with McIlroy citing “professional and personal commitments” for standing down as a player-director.

Hours earlier, the world number two insisted progress was being made in talks over the future of men’s professional golf, but a fear that “loose lips sink ships” meant it was being kept under wraps.

McIlroy has been LIV Golf’s most vocal critic and admitted he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” when a shock deal between LIV’s Saudi backers and the PGA Tour and DP World Tour was announced in June.

The PGA Tour are now also assessing potential funding from alternative private equity sources and McIlroy was asked if he enjoyed being part of such discussions during a press conference ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

“Not particularly, no,” McIlroy said. “Not what I signed for when I went on the board. But the game of professional golf has been in flux for the last two years.”

Asked on Wednesday if he would be interested in replacing McIlroy, Rahm said: “Absolutely no chance.

“I’ve been asked a couple times if I have any interest, and I’m not going to spend, I don’t know how many meetings they have, but they are six, seven-hour plus long. I’m not here for that.

“As regards to Rory, he’s obviously been put in a situation where a lot has been expected of him, and I don’t know the exact reason why he left the board.

“But I certainly wouldn’t blame somebody like him to just want to focus a bit more on his game and his family and enjoy the bit of time he’s truly earned. Again, it’s a big commitment for somebody to be part of it.”

McIlroy first joined the PGA Tour’s player advisory council in 2019 and went on to serve as its chairman in 2021, roles which Rahm feels may have had an impact on McIlroy’s on-course performance.

“I think it is a significant commitment, so it could have an effect,” the Masters champion said.

“It’s not only the meetings. It’s the phone calls and the players wanting to talk to you. So those hours you spent on the golf course are a little bit busier.

“So I think it could hinder a little bit, and there’s a reason probably why I can’t recall any great player being a full-time board member and winning tournaments and majors at the same time, at least in recent history.”

Announcing the news, Monahan praised McIlroy’s commitment to the PGA Tour in a memo sent to the Northern Irishman’s fellow players.

“During his tenure, Rory’s insight has been instrumental in helping shape the success of the Tour and his willingness to thoughtfully voice his opinion has been especially impactful,” Monahan wrote.

“Given the extraordinary time and effort that Rory – and all of his fellow player directors – have invested in the Tour during this unprecedented, transformational period in our history, we certainly understand and respect his decision to step down in order to focus on his game and his family.”

The remaining player-directors – Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Charley Hoffman, Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson – will elect a successor to serve McIlroy’s unexpired term, which runs until the end of 2024.

Rory McIlroy has resigned from his player director role on the PGA Tour policy board.

World number two McIlroy had spoke with the media on Tuesday ahead of the DP World Tour Championship event in Dubai about ongoing discussions to shape the future of men’s professional golf, but admitted he did not enjoy being on the inside of those talks.

The Framework Agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) – which blinded players when it was announced in June – was due to be finalised by the end of the year, although meeting that deadline now appears unlikely.

McIlroy, who was a key figure in the PGA Tour’s battle against the threat of LIV golf, has now tendered his resignation after two years on the board.

“Citing personal and professional commitments, Rory McIlroy has notified the PGA Tour policy board that he is resigning his position as a player director,” a PGA Tour statement read.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a memo sent to players on Tuesday evening: “During his tenure, Rory’s insight has been instrumental in helping shape the success of the Tour and his willingness to thoughtfully voice his opinion has been especially impactful.

“Given the extraordinary time and effort that Rory – and all of his fellow player directors – have invested in the Tour during this unprecedented, transformational period in our history, we certainly under and respect his decision to step down in order to focus on his game and his family.”

In addition to serving on the board since 2021, McIlroy had also spent the previous three years as a member of the player advisory council.

The five-year stint of the Northern Irishman across both roles encompassed not only the emergence of LIV golf, but also the Covid-19 pandemic.

When quizzed about the future of men’s professional golf on Tuesday, McIlroy insisted progress was being made in talks, but alluded to the difficulty of being a player director.

“Not particularly, no,” McIlroy replied, when asked if it was enjoyable being in key discussions.

“Not what I signed for when I went on the board. But the game of professional golf has been in flux for the last two years.”

McIlroy did arrive in Dubai for the season-ending tournament already assured of winning a fifth Race to Dubai title and will begin his first round at the DP World Tour Championship later on Wednesday.

Rory McIlroy insists progress is being made in talks over the future of men’s professional golf, but a fear that “loose lips sink ships” means it is being kept under wraps.

The Framework Agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which blindsided players when it was announced in June, was due to be finalised by the end of the year.

Meeting that deadline appears unlikely, with the PGA Tour also understood to be assessing potential funding from alternative private equity sources. Fenway Sports Group – owners of Liverpool and the Boston Red Sox – are reported to be one of the interested parties.

McIlroy, who is one of the PGA Tour’s player directors, knows better than most what is happening behind the scenes, but acknowledged any deal with the PIF would need to be approved by the Unites States government.

“I think if you were in the middle of it, you would see that there’s a path forward,” McIlroy said in his press conference ahead of the DP World Tour Championship.

“It’s just that no one on the outside has any details, right. Loose lips sink ships, so we are trying to keep it tight and within walls. I’m sure when there’s news to tell, it will be told.

“I think getting something done sooner rather than later is a good thing. Because you know, even if we get a deal done, it doesn’t mean that it’s actually going to happen.

“That’s up to the United States government at that point and whether the Department of Justice think that it’s the right thing to do or whether (it’s) anti-competitive or whatever.

“Even if a deal does get done, it’s not a sure thing. So yeah, we are just going to have to wait and see. But in my opinion, the faster something gets done, the better.”

Asked if he was enjoying being on the “inside” in such discussions, McIlroy joked: “Not particularly, no.

“Not what I signed for when I went on the board. But the game of professional golf has been in flux for the last two years.”

McIlroy arrived in Dubai for the season-ending event already assured of winning a fifth Race to Dubai title, leaving him three behind the record tally of Colin Montgomerie.

But despite that accolade and contributing a career-best performance as Europe regained the Ryder Cup, McIlroy was disappointed at failing to win a first major title since 2014.

The world number two birdied the first hole in the final round of the US Open to tie for the lead, but did not make another birdie at Los Angeles Country Club and finished a shot behind Wyndham Clark.

Asked to judge his season, McIlroy said: “Yeah, probably give it a seven out of 10.

“Played good golf. I had the two wins. I had my best-ever Ryder Cup, which feels like a win to me, especially coming off the back of Whistling Straits (where Europe lost 19-9 in 2021).

“So I’ve been happy with the year. If I looked back on one thing, I’ll rue that miss at LA. I had a great opportunity there to pick up another major and I didn’t.

“But I’m still not going to let that take away from the fact that it’s been another really consistent, solid year with some really good performances.

“I’m feeling like my game is in as good a shape as it’s ever been throughout my, whatever it is, 16, 17-year career.

“I’m happy with that and will try to finish this year off on a high and play well this week and reset and get ready for 2024.”

Tommy Fleetwood is relishing the “pretty surreal” chance to write his name into the history books with a third straight victory in the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

Fleetwood defeated Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult on the first play-off hole at the Gary Player Country Club in November 2019, but the Covid-19 pandemic meant he had to wait until 2022 to defend the title.

A closing 67 on a weather-affected final day gave the Ryder Cup star a one-shot win over New Zealand’s Ryan Fox and both men are back in Sun City 12 months on to seek victory in the 66-man field.

Fleetwood, who can join an elite group which includes the likes of Tiger Woods and Sir Nick Faldo in winning the same DP World Tour event three times in succession, said: “Ever since the first time I came it’s got a very special feeling to it driving into the gates of Sun City and it’s such an historic event for a lot of us.

“For my generation I guess, and for people older and younger too, but I remember it as the Million Dollar Challenge so it’s always had such a high value.

“And yet to be going for a third win seems pretty surreal, but we’ll see what we can do.”

Victory last year ended a three-year winless run for Fleetwood and the world number 15 again arrived in South Africa seeking a first win of the season.

“I’ve played really well,” said Fleetwood, who lost in a play-off in June’s RBC Canadian Open and posted eight other top-10s in 2023.

“You should always look at the positives and I think this year has been arguably my most consistent year.

“I am very happy with how I’ve been playing. Yes, there’s not been a win, but I’ve been very, very close. Things could have gone either way in certain events. [I’ve] not won yet, but there’s still a couple of events to go for the rest of the year.”

World number eight Max Homa is the top ranked player in the field and has been making the most of the chance to see the local wildlife, along with Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Thomas.

“The safari is life changing,” Homa said. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to explain this to my friends and family. I would never do it justice.

“A running joke between Justin and I is that if I was a guide it would be all made up and just tremendously terrible. But it’s just so cool to spend some time away from the golf course and experience kind of what the world has to offer.

“When I was growing up I watched this tournament and tons of DP World Tour events that I always wanted to play in. With the previous PGA Tour schedule it would be wild to try and do this. You would have to battle jet lag from tournament to tournament.

“But now, with a real off-season for us, I made it a point to play at least one over here. To be able to get a spot here and play has been a dream.”

Much has been said about Jamaica’s sports tourism product, especially as those in the tourism industry continues to tap into the potential of golf to attract visitors to the island.

This, as according to the International Association of Golfing Tour Operators (IAGTO), the global golf tourism market, where people take trips with the main purpose of playing the sport, is valued over US$17 billion.

Additionally, it is said that an estimated 56 million people play golf worldwide, most of whom are in the United States and Canada alone, making North America the leading market in terms of the sport contribution to that economy.

It is with that in mind that Angela Bennett, Jamaica Tourist Board’s Regional Director for Canada is of the view that the recently-concluded Baxter Media-sponsored Sandals Canadian Travel Advisors Golf Tournament, is testament to what can be achieved through the sport.

The 27th edition of the two-day tournament attracted 61 travel advisors, who beyond basking in the fun, frolic and excitement, will ensure that Jamaica’s golfing and, by extension, sports tourism stock in North America continues to rise.

“This is a major achievement for us because golf is a big volume driver for earnings for Jamaica. It also targets a specific sport because we have so many golf courses in Jamaica, in Montego Bay alone, we have almost six golf courses and then there is the picturesque Sandals Golf and Country club among others in this region. From the tournament, we had our top producing tour operators like Air Canada, WestJet, Red Tag, they're all focused on selling sports tourism like golf,” Bennett said.

“So, to have them here for a week, there's a lot of networking going on, a lot of business and new airline partners coming in. This is another focus area for us to drive that sort of niche market to Jamaica and it's really a sport that encourages a long stay because these travellers usually like to golf around,” she added.

Bennett pointed out that the longstanding partnership between Sandals and Baxter Media in hosting the travel advisors tournament, serves as a springboard on which the JTB is aiming to launch strategies to drive more growth in Jamaica’s sports tourism product.

“We are known for sports in Jamaica, of course, Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and all the other wonderful athletes, so it encourages us to build packages around golfing and promoting the sport, not only golf but all the other sports in Jamaica and this is a significant part of our strategy,” she shared.

“So, we have basketball that we do every year in Montego Bay, and we bring down some of our international stars to engage with the local talent. We also have Reggae Marathon in Negril where we're bringing down runners from Canada and across the world and while here, they experience the different offerings that Jamaica has in the sports field,” Bennett noted.

To that end, she pointed to the importance of capitalizing on the country’s sporting brand, particularly where the likes of Bolt, Fraser-Pryce and other sporting stalwarts are concerned.

“We always go where our athletes are, and sometimes we build a whole strategy around our athletes because just the way we know Bob Marley and everywhere in the world you go, they know Bob Marley, they know Usain Bolt and they know all our other track star because we shine, and we are at a superior level in this field. So, we're always looking to build a strategy around them to create a lot of awareness for Jamaica through them and through the work they're doing internationally,” Bennett ended.

American Andrew Arft led all three days to capture the 56th Jamaica Open Golf Championship at the Tryall Golf Course in Hanover.

Arft posted scores of six under par 66, even par 72, and one under par 71, for a combined score of seven under par 209. He expressed pleasure with the win while giving credit to his caddy Jason Richards for helping him to win the event on his first attempt.

He also pointed out that his late decision to enter the championship was justified, as he pocketed the US$20,000 top prize.

Second place went to Dominic Piccirillo, who was just one shot back on 210. He posted under par scores of 71, 71 and 68 for all three days, while Josh Anderson was relegated to third place on 211 along with Blake Wagoner (72,70, 69).

The top six golfers in the professional category are all Americans.

Jamaica's Sean Morris roared back from second place on the second day to take the amateur section ahead of Oshae Haye. They were joint leaders on the first day.

Morris ended on 17 over par 233 (75, 82, 76), while Haye was two strokes back on 235 (75, 78, 82). Junior player Trey Williams grabbed third place on 245 (78, 81, 82).

Chris Richards of Trinidad & Tobago won the Senior Pro section for the second year running with a total score of two over par 218 (70, 76, 72). Second went to Canada's Kent Fukushima on 222 (74, 78, 70), while Jamaica's Ian Campbell was third on 240 (80, 79, 81).

The final category, the Senior Amateur section went to Canada's Robert Sterling who had a combined score of 244 for the three days. Jamaica's Dr. Mark Newnham and Dr. William Lee were second and third with scores of 245 and 250, respectively.

Tiger Woods has yet to reveal when he plans to return to action following ankle surgery, but he will still be the centre of attention at the World Wide Technology Championship.

Woods has been on site at El Cardonal in Mexico ahead of this week’s PGA Tour event, the first to be staged on a course designed by the 15-time major winner.

And world number 66 Keith Mitchell is among the players keen to judge if Woods is as talented with a pencil and paper as he is with a golf club.

“We all know we can judge him on his golf, one of the best, if not the best ever, to play golf,” Mitchell said. “So we’re going to see if his golf course architecture can hold up as well.

“The back nine I played today, there’s a lot of options. I know Tiger likes options.

“It gives you a lot to think about going into greens, whether you want to use the slope or go straight at the hole, whether you want to play conservative and have an easy up and down or try to push it to the back of a green or to a tough flag and try to make birdie.

“A couple of par fives, the back of the greens are serious trouble.

“If you have a good number you can maybe hit it to the back flag and get a chance for eagle, but if not you’ve got to play conservative and try to get up and down from the front of the green, so it adds a lot of risk-reward.”

Maverick McNealy, who will contest his first event since June due to a shoulder injury, added: “My first impression is that it’s not very tight off the tee, it’s very wide, but if you miss it’s a severe penalty.

“You don’t need to murder the ball. Playing it 290 (yards) off the tee, 300 off the tee is going to be just fine. And then you really have to think about where you leave the ball into the greens. There’s one side that’s obviously not OK.

“You kind of see a lot of parallels between the way Tiger plays golf and the way he designed this golf course.

“You have to think about it, play smart. Quintessential second-shot golf course and no short-siding.”

The day-two leaders in the four categories of the 56th Jamaica Open Golf Championship are from four different countries, making it truly an international tournament. The open is being played at the Tryall Golf Club which is just a short distance from the Grand Palladium Hotel in Hanover, the official hotel and sponsor of the championship.

American pro golfer Andrew Arft maintained his leading position after scoring an even par 72 for a two-day score of six under par 138. His lead was however cut to two from six on the first day by countryman Ryan Sullivan, who posted the lowest score on the second day. 

Sullivan scored a six under par 66 for a combined score of 140.

Jamaica's Oshae Haye took over the lead for the amateur section from Sean Morris. His two-day total of 157 came on the back of 75 and 82, on day one and two respectively. Morris was four strokes back on 153.

Trinidad and Tobago's Chris Richards took his day one lead into day two, for a combined total of 146, after posting two under par 70 on the first day, and four over par 76 on the second day, in the Senior Professional category. Canada's Kent Fukushima was in second place on 152.

The final section, for Senior Amateurs showed Canada's Robert Sterling in the lead. His two-day total of 161 came on the back of 12 over par 84 on day one and five over par 77 on day two. Jamaica's Dr. Mark Newnham was in second place on 164 (88 and 76).

The last group of the day all birdied hole number 18 to the delight of the gallery who appreciated the display. The group members were Andrew Arft, Josh Anderson and Chris Richards.

The USA's Andrew Arft is at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the first day of the 56th Jamaica Open Golf Championship at the Tryall Golf Club in Hanover.

The American show a six-under-par 66 to enjoy a three-shot lead heading to Tuesday’s second day. Josh Anderson, also of the USA, is second after shooting a 69 and he is followed by Trinidad & Tobago's Chris Richards, who shot 70.

Defending champion Patrick Cover was further back after shooting 73 saying afterwards that he expects to be better in the rounds ahead. Wesley Brown, the highest placed local professional shot one over par 73.

Justin Burrowes and Sebert Walkert Jr who both turned pro at the championship posted scores of 10 over par 82 and five over par 77, respectively. Former national representatives Sean Morris and Oshae Haye both shot three over par 75 to be joint leaders in the amateur section while junior golfer Trey Williams scored five over par 78 for the first round.

 In an exciting development for Jamaican golf, the 56th Jamaica Open Golf Championship at the Tryall Golf Club in Hopewell, Hanover, is set to witness the professional debut of two rising stars, Justin Burrowes and Sebert Walker Jr. The Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) made this announcement during its final media briefing on Friday.

Justin Burrowes, the reigning amateur champion, has already proven his mettle on the greens, having outplayed another highly talented amateur player, William Knibbs. Sebert Walker Jr., on the other hand, is ready to make his mark in the professional golf circuit. The anticipation for their debut is palpable, as they step onto the professional stage with immense promise.

The 56th Jamaica Open is expected to host around sixty professional golfers from overseas and an array of amateur golfers hailing from the USA, Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, and, of course, the host country, Jamaica. The tournament kicked off with the pro-am event on Saturday morning, setting the stage for the championship, which is scheduled to tee off on Sunday and continue through Tuesday for the 54-hole competition.

Professional golfer Hunter Summy, who has been honing his skills on the course for the past two weeks, expressed his readiness for the upcoming challenge. The Tryall Golf Club's Director of Golf, Ewan Peebles, assured everyone that the course was in impeccable condition. He did mention that recent windy conditions may pose an additional challenge, and some fairways had been narrowed to make it more demanding, but he believed that the skilled golfers would excel.

The event received strong backing from sponsors, including Dr. Carey Wallace of the Tourism Enhancement Fund and Scott Summy of Aqua Bay Resort, the presenting sponsor. Aqua Bay Resort, which has been a staunch supporter for the fourth consecutive year, expressed its commitment to continuing the partnership. Other sponsors include TEF, Tryall, JTB, Digicel Business, Jamaica Tours, Grand Palladium, SDF, Fidelity Motors, Coldwell Bankers Reality Jamaica, Ultra Financiers, and GK Finance.

The 56th Jamaica Open promises not only thrilling golfing action but also the debut of two Jamaican talents on the professional stage, marking a significant moment in the country's golfing history.

With her parents starting a rich and fruitful partnership with Sandals Resorts, Wendy McClung, Executive vice-president of Baxter Media said the decision was easy for her to continue the family legacy to promote Jamaica as a golfing destination through the Canadian Travel Advisors Golf Tournament.

The 27th edition of this tournament, which is the longest running of the three, preceding the United States and Latin American events, attracted 16 teams made up of some 61 travel advisors, who beyond basking in the fun, frolic and excitement, will ensure that Jamaica’s sports tourism stocks in North America continues to rise.

Team three comprising Christopher Gregoris, Leo Tam, Tom Liu, and Wendy Hsu, finished tops at the end of the two-day competition at the Sandals Golf and Country Club in St Ann. They tallied scores of 65 and 62 across the two days for an 18-hole total of 127.

The team of Gord Ramkissoon, Lalita Ramkissoon, Leonard Sanicharan and Lalita Sanicharan, were six strokes behind in second on 133, after daily scores of 66 and 67, while Team Five comprising David Harris, Doug Rollheiser, Jacques Gilbert and Jason Jenkins took third with 134, after daily scores of 65 and 69.

McClung, who believes the prospects for the tournament is far-reaching where impacting visitor arrivals to Jamaica is concerned, is hoping to build on what her parents Edith and William Baxter accomplished.

Baxter’s Media is the publisher of two of Canada's leading travel trade magazine, the Canadian Travel Press and Travel Courier.

“This was actually started by my parents and my parents always had a good relationship with Jamaica, in fact, my mother was conferred with the Order of Distinction. So, Sandals has been a partner of ours for a very long time and every year we bring travel agents and people who serve Jamaica just to have a nice kind of thank you gathering. It is four days of golf, fun and entertainment and so it’s a great way to celebrate the partnership,” she said.

“Every year it gets better and better. In fact, we had to turn people away because it’s a popular thing and it’s the highlight of the year for many people. As you know, Jamaica has the perfect weather, Sandals is a perfect resort with a perfect golf club, my only complaint is that we are not here long enough,” McClung added.

Meanwhile, the side competitions which raised US$1,528 (about $235,869 Jamaican dollars) for the Sandals Foundation, were won by Curtis Dewar and Norah Hogan, in the closest to the pin, while Colin Harris and Tobe Leney, were the male and female longest drive winners.

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