FLORIDIANS Harry Abbe, Kevin Slavin, Michael Paddon and Mark Schmidt, representing PTA Travel, carded 22-under-par and a team score of 120 to emerge overall champions of the 8th Annual Sandals Resorts Travel Agent Golf Tournament held at Sandals Golf and Country Club last weekend.

The championships were elated at their success, calling it a “true team effort”, as some 150 golfers teed off in the prestigious event described as “the best ever” by Gary Sadler, Sandals North America senior vice-president for sales.

The PTA Travel members each took home a complimentary three-night stay at the luxurious all-new, all-butler Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas.

Winners of the Longest Drive in their respective categories were Gabe Garavanian and Michelle Yasenck, while Dave Cameron and Richard Cline were crowned Chipping and Putting Champions, respectively.

Stan Mechanic and Debbie Simmons were winners of the Male and Female Closest to the Pin and Team No 2 comprising Dennis and Larry Fields, Larry Field’s Jnr and Nicholas Middaugh received the Best Dressed Team award.

Rounding out the list of prizewinners was Team No 8 of Arnaud Agman, Chatkan Bunnang, Isabela Marks and Suzhelia Reyes- Bunnang for the fun category of Most Honest Team Score.

Deputy director of the Jamaica Tourist Board, David Shields, lauded the efforts of the Sandals Group in staging the tourney for the eighth year and said he was looking forward to the continuation of the event in the coming years.

Sadler thanked the golfers for attending the keenly contested event and anticipated their participation in future events.

He said now that the travel agents had personally played at the Sandals Golf and Country Club they were in a better position to sell the facilities to clients seeking a golfing vacation.

Special VIP guests at the event were Steve Gorga, president of Travel Impressions; Dean Smith, president of Flight Centre USA and Kevin Froemming, president of Unique Vacations.