The three-day Jamaica Open Golf Championship set to tee-off on Sunday, November 14, will be held in honour of the late Jasper Markland, it was announced at a Jamaica Golf Association press conference earlier this week.
The 54-hole Pro-Am tournament will be held at the Tryall Golf Club in Hanover for a third consecutive year.
Markland won the Jamaica Open in 1964 and 1967 and was the caddy master at Constant Spring for many years. “He would be proud, very proud. He was a golf teacher here so he would be very happy for this,” said his daughter Margaret.
Meanwhile, JGA President Jodi Munn-Barrow, who was among the many who were taught by Markland, said she was anticipating a successful tournament that this year has attracted golfers from the United States, Canada, Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago.
“I am looking forward to a fantastic tournament,” she said. “Although I am the president, it’s really the team of the Jamaica Golf Association that has pulled this off and without our sponsors, we would not be here. I am looking forward to the golf. I think it’s going to be an excellent week of golf.”
She paid tribute to Markland and lauded him for the role he played in the development and growth of the sport on the island.
“For my generation, Jasper was the professional golfer. I can’t think of anybody who started golf in my time who wasn’t taught by Jasper and beyond being a professional golfer he was a gentleman. He was my role model,” she said.
“He had been through so much in his life but he had still given back so much to golf and really a good example for all golfers in Jamaica, and I don’t think golf in Jamaica would be where it is without that platform, without that benchmark of Jasper Markland, hence the recognition.”
William Knibbs, the defending amateur champion, said he plans to win again this year notwithstanding the expected challenge from a number of contenders including the outstanding Justin Burrowes, who won in 2017 and 2019.
“I definitely think I can but I won’t get caught up thinking that’s my only focus because, ultimately, if I execute well and he beats me or if somebody else beats me then you just have to tip your cap to them but I will do everything in my power to give myself the best chance to contend again.”
Orville Christie, the best-placed local pro golfer in 2020 said he expects to get stern competition from the 2019 top local pro golfer Wesley Brown. He said that he has been preparing to compete at Tryall for some time and expect to do well again.
Orville Christie, the best placed local pro golfer in 2020 said he expects to get stern competition from the 2019 top local pro golfer Wesley Brown. He said that he has been preparing to compete at Tryall for some time and expect to do well again.