After three days of battling high temperatures, strong winds and restrictive Covid’19 protocols, at the Tryall Golf Club in Hanover, Erik Barnes and William Knibbs emerged winners of the professional and amateur sections, respectively, of the 53rd Jamaica Open presented by Aqua Bay.

 Barnes, the joint leader on day one and sole leader on day two, carried his form into the final day to win by three strokes over Canadian David Morland who was runner-up for the second year running.

The American carded a six-under par 66, four-under 68 and three-under 69 over the three days to end on 13-under 203. "I feel great,” he said. “Anytime you can come to a new tournament and win it, it’s awesome.  David didn't take it easy on me early in the round.  I just had to keep my foot on the gas and keep going."

He said the pandemic protocols had little impact on his game. "I play on the Korn Ferry Tour and we pretty much have the same protocols every week. We pretty much have to stick to the hotel and get Covid tested weekly," he said while adding that he would love to return to defend his title.

“If the schedule works out I would love to come back.  I like Jamaica."

Morland ended on 10-under score of 206, similar to his 2019 scores carding 66, 69 and 71 in each of the three rounds.

Brad Adamonis and Ryan Linton, both from the USA, tied for third after posting seven under par scores of 209 cumulatively the three days.

Orville Christie was the best placed Jamaican pro in 16^th and said he was pleased with his scores of 76, 77, 73 over the course of the tournament.  "I feel good about that.  I worked hard, I didn't get the scores that I really wanted to shoot but I think I did well," he said.

Knibbs, the only amateur golfer to post an under par score (67) on the second day, was very pleased to achieve one of the goals he had set for this year.  He ended the championship on one under par 215 (76, 67, 72), winning by 14 strokes over runner-up Robert Owen (229) of the USA.

"It feel really good.  It's one of the goals that I set down with my coach at the start of the year that I wanted to win this tournament so obviously it’s very satisfying when you can say that you achieve a goal," he said.

Hunter Summy (USA) was third with a score of 233.

Justin Burrowes, who was the amateur champion for the last two versions was fourth this time around.  He ended on 233 (79, 75, 80).

President of the Jamaica Golf Association Peter Chin was grateful to have been able to host the tournament this year which did not seem possible due to the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertainties about sponsorship.

 He credited the Tourism Enhancement Fund, Aqua Bay, SDF, Tryall Golf Club, Jamaica Tours, JTB as well as the medical team from the University of the West Indies and the Ministry of Health among the many stakeholders who made the event possible.

Johnson Charles produced a Man-of-the-Match performance on Monday that provided the Jaffna Stallions with a platform to victory over the Dambulla Viikings and into the final of the Lankan Premier League where they will meet the Galle Gladiators on Wednesday.

World Champion long jumper Tahjay Gayle and 2018 Mr. Olympia Amateur bodybuilder were among four athletes who received awards at the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards for Excellence on Sunday.

Half centuries from Nicholas Pooran and Shayne Moseley were not enough to prevent the West Indies ‘A’ from going down to a 101-run to New Zealand at Nelson on Sunday.

West Indies captain Jason Holder believes he is beginning to sound like a scratched record when it comes to explaining why his team keeps on losing, and losing badly.

Despite a maiden Test half century from Joshua Da Silva, the West Indies lost the second Test against New Zealand by an innings and 12 runs at Wellington.

It was a much better batting performance from the West Indies in their second innings, bowled out for 317, their best total of the series.

 The loss means the West Indies lost the two-match series 2-0.

Resuming on 244 for 6, still needing 85 to make New Zealand bat again, West Indies lost their first wicket of the day in the second over with the score of 252.

 Captain Jason Holder was bowled by Tim Southee for 61, playing down the wrong line to a delivery that hit the top of off stump. He had added only run one to his overnight total.

It was Southee’s first wicket of the second innings after taking 5 for 32 in the first when the West Indies were bundled out for 131.

With the score at 282, Southee picked up his second wicket when he had Alzarri Joseph caught down the legside by BJ Watling after a well-played 24 that came off 12 balls and included three fours and two majestic sixes square of the wicket.

The West Indies still trailed by 47.

Meanwhile, at the other end, Da Silva, who was making his Test debut,was a picture of composure. On 25 overnight, he moved onto his first Test half century with aplomb farming the bowling to protect Chemar Holder, who was also playing in his first Test.

The 50^th run was long in coming. After almost two overs on 49, he dropped a Trent Boult delivery into the onside for a single. His maiden half century came up in 77 balls and included five fours.

He celebrated his milestone by smashing a Daryl Mitchell delivery straight down the ground for his sixth four which also brought up 300 runs for the West Indies.

He was eventually trapped lbw by Neil Wagner for 57 to leave the West Indies on the verge of defeat at 307 for 9. He faced 84 balls in his 135-mimute stay at the crease.

Chemar Holder, who had edged a Southee delivery to get off the mark and then brutally hit Mitchell down the down the ground for consecutive fours, remained unbeaten on 13 after Wagner bowled Gabriel for 0 to seal a comprehensive victory.

Wagner finished with 3 for 43 while Boult took 3 for 97.

Scores: New Zealand 460 (Henry Nicholls 174, Neil Wagner 66. Gabriel 3 for 93). West Indies 131 ( Blackwood 69; Southee 5 for 32, Jamieson 5 for 34) and 317 (Campbell 68, J.Holder 61, Da Silva 57; Wagner 3 for 54, Boult 3 for 96).

Leon Bailey scored a brace as Bayer Leverkusen defeated TSG Hoffenheim 4-1 to move to the top of the German Bundesliga on Sunday.

Netball Jamaica has named a 15-player squad to face England in the Vitality Netball Legends Series in England in January 2021.

The Vitality Netball Legends Series is a new tournament, which has been named to represent the netball players who are making their mark on the international stage.

England Netball announced in November that it planned to host a four-match test series against Jamaica at the end of January 2021, which will be the first international competition on home soil in a year. The Sunshine Girls have also agreed to travel to the UK for a period of isolation before facing England.

Jamaica’s team was announced on Saturday with Jhaniele Fowler retaining the captaincy. Star defender Shamera Sterling has been named vice-captain of the squad for the very first time.

The full squad also includes Jodi-Ann Ward, Adean Thomas, Latanya Wilson, Kadie-Ann Dehaney Rebekah Robinson,  Shanice Beckford, Shadian Hemmings, Nicole Dixon, Shannika Johnson, Stacian Facey, Malysha Kelly, Khadijah Williams and Gezelle Allison.

Paula-Ann Burton has been named as a training partner.

Regal Masters defeated West Demarara Masters by seven wickets on Saturday to lift the inaugural championship trophy and Guy. $250,000 winners’ prize for the 2020 GCB Tropical Springs T20 Over 40 Tournament.

West Indies ‘A’ were 26 without loss at stumps on day three of their four-day match against New Zealand ‘A’ still needing a further 332 runs to achieve victory.

Half centuries from Captain Jason Holder and opener John Campbell helped West Indies extend the second Test in Wellington into a fourth day delaying what appears to be inevitable defeat.

When bad light stopped play on Saturday with just over 17 overs left in the day's play, Holder was unbeaten on 60 and debutant Joshua Da Silva on 25 as the West Indies closed the day on 244 for 6, still trailing New Zealand by 85 runs with only four tail-end wickets in hand.

Earlier, John Campbell made his highest Test score of 68 as the West Indies showed improvement on their embarrassing first innings display.

Resuming on their overnight score of 124 for 8 in reply to New Zealand’s 460, the West Indies added only seven runs to be all out for 131.

Tim Southee had DaSilva caught behind on his overnight score of 3 and bowled Shannon Gabriel for 2 to finish with 5 for 32. Chemar Holder remained unbeaten on 8. Kyle Jamieson, who did most of the damage on Friday, took 5 for 34.

Following on, the West Indies had a much better -looking start getting to 37 when Trent Boult took two wickets in an over to reduce the visitors to 41 for 2. Kraigg Braithwaite had got to 24 when he flicked the New Zealand quick off his legs only to be caught low down at leg gully by a diving Will Young.

Three balls later, Darren Bravo, on four, fended off a short delivery to point where Henry Nicholls took a dolly.

But just as it seemed as if the West Indies were in for another swift capitulation, Campbell and Shamarh Brooks mounted an 89-run stand that took the West Indies to 130 when a length ball from Neil Wagner slanted across Brooks, who went forward to defend only to see the ball take the edge and carry through to wicketkeeper BJ Watling. He made 36.

Roston Chase came and faced seven balls before edging Jamieson to Tom Latham at slip without scoring. Jamieson then bowled bowled Campbell off the inside edge for 68 as the West Indies slipped from 130 for 2 to 134 for 5.

Jermaine Blackwood, whose 69 made up more half the West Indies first innings score, threatened once again to take the attack to the New Zealand bowlers but after racing to 20, he was bowled by Boult trying to slog a ball that swung and smashed into his stumps. The score was then 170 for 6 and the West Indies were sliding towards defeat inside three days when Holder had his best showing of the series.

He and Da Silva have so far added 74 for the seventh wicket and will resume on Sunday hoping to add many much-needed runs to their face-saving stand and perhaps pray for rain.

Boult has so far taken 3 for 75 while Jamieson has 2 for 43 and Wagner 1 for 53.

Three-time national champion Christian Sasso emerged victorious at the PWD Winter Open Sporting Clays tournament on Sunday at the Tru-Juice Estate in Bog Walk, St. Catherine.

Sasso picked off 93 of 100 birds, four more than runner-up Ray McMaster who bagged 89.

McMaster edged Robert Yap Foo who also shot 89 by way of the long run used to break ties based on performance at pre-determined stations.

Sasso said it felt good to win on his return to the tournament. “It feels good.  I wasn't there last year so it feels good to come back and take over the championship,” he said.

“The course was amazing, probably one of the best local courses that I have personally shot out here. I just want to thank everybody who participated.  Thank you to the PWD crew who organized the shoot.  Thank you to the McConnells and also to the Desnoes who lent us their lovely venue in Bog Walk."

Meanwhile, four-time national female champion, Wendy McMaster, topped the women including three of her daughters.  She shot 70, one better than runner-up Aliana McMaster, while former national female shotgun champion Marguerite Harris shot 66 to grab third place.

"The PWD shoot was a very good shoot.  It was well put together shoot.  The course was well set, international style birds, different presentations that we have never seen for some stations before.  It was well represented, in honour of the late Errol Ziadie where each station had a tag honouring his time here," she said.

"The win for me is exceptional and sensitive because the last tournament, Aliana, who is my daughter had beat me in the last tournament, the Tony Kelly Skeet.  She did very well and she has made me proud."

Danzell Knight (88), David Wong (85) and Peter Mahfood (85), respectively, were the top junior shooters.

The top three in the various classes were as follows: A Class - Robert Yap Foo 89, Craig Simpson 88 and Danzell Knight 88 (L/R).

 B Class - Ryan Chen 88, Mark Desnoes 88 and Zachary Harris 83 (L/R).

C Class - Brandon Laing 84, JJ Ralston 81 and Ricky DeQuesnay 81 (L/R).

 D Class - JP Dipchank 76, Richard Todd 74 and Anthony Desnoes 73.

E Class - David Ffrench 69, Lenin Thompson 69 (L/R) and Carlton Davis 67.

 Hunters Class - Nicllous Stewart 73, Aliana McMaster 69 and Baron Lee Jnr 67.

 Sub Juniors Class - Aliana McMaster 69, Blake Cooper 49 and Kyle Reid 36.

 Two shooters moved up in class. David Ffrench was promoted to D Class while Nicklous Stewart was promoted to E Class.

 Money earned from the tournament will be used to fund various programmes in the Portland Cottage area of Clarendon, including a basic school that the club adopted.

Briana Williams intends to open her 2020/21 track season next weekend in Freeport, Grand Bahama where she intends to compete in the 150m and 300m. The 18-year-old star made the announcement on social media yesterday.

“Training has been going well. I’m going to do something I have never done before, compete in December,” she said.

“I am opening my 2020-2021 season next weekend in the Bahamas with a 300m and a 150m on the 18^th and 19^th.”

Like many track and field athletes, Williams was not able to compete much during the last season because of the Covid-19 pandemic that prompted the cancellation of meets around the globe. Training well and eager to compete, Jamaica’s national junior record holder is chomping at the bit says her coach Ato Boldon.

“For the first time Briana is training completely by herself and she is thriving with all my attention. She is about two and a half months in now and this meet presented itself. She wanted to do it and I realize that just in the time when we were thinking about it her training has gone up a notch,” Boldon told Sportsmax.TV, explaining that the 2018 World Under 20 sprint-double champion, trains well when she is getting ready for something.

“She will give a good account of herself and she is very excited about it.”

According to Boldon, Williams will contest the 300m on the Friday and then the 150m the following day.

Yohan Blake and his teammates from Titans International Track Club will also be competing at the meet dubbed the Christmas Classic All-Distance Meet and which is hosted by the Neymour Athletic Club.

Shannon Gabriel took his 150^th Test wicket in his 50^th Test match while Chemar Holder bowled well for his two wickets on debut but it was Henry Nicholls who stole the show with an unbeaten 117 at stumps on day one of the second Test in Wellington on Thursday night (Caribbean time).

Dwayne Walker is hoping that his nomination for the Prime Minister’s Youth Awards for Excellence can be a shot in the arm for the sport of bodybuilding and fitness in Jamaica.