THE professionals will compete for a total of US$70,000 in prizes with trophies and merchandise for amateurs, as the LIME Jamaica Open Golf tournament returns to the local golf calendar between December 1 and 4, this year.

Additionally, the top performing senior professional above the age of 50 years will receive the special senior’s purse.

Details of the tournament were announced by Wayne Chai Chong, president of the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) at its launch yesterday, held at the offices of its title sponsor, telecommunications giant LIME on Carlton Crescent in Kingston.

The JGA president announced that the tournament, which will be held at Half Moon in Montego Bay, has, this year, attracted a PGA Tour Professional and two Nationwide Tour players in addition to returning champion, Jamaica’s Johnny Bloomfield.

“The participation of a PGA professional and Nationwide Tour professionals is significant,” said Chai Chong. “It means that Jamaica has been able to attract very high calibre players to the Jamaica Open, which are feathers in the JGA’s and Jamaica’s caps.”

The JGA president explained that the tournament’s pro-am or practice day will be held on December 1, while the tournament’s competitive days are December 2-4. Amateurs who wish to participate will need to have a maximum handicap of 10.

Chris Dehring of LIME informed the gathering of journalists and golf enthusiasts that it was the second year that his company had partnered with the JGA to sponsor the tournament. “LIME firmly believes in supporting sports and has a long history of partnership with Jamaican sporting associations. We understand that the benefits of sport to the nation are significant. It is for this reason that we continue to invest our resources in the building of the nation through sport.”

The LIME chairman said his company has, through its sponsorship, committed to help to promote Jamaica as the premier golf destination in the Caribbean.

Half Moon’s management and staff, hosts of the tournament for the last three consecutive years, have been hard at work preparing the golf course to ensure the best conditions for this year’s field of players. According to Half Moon’s general manager Aram Zerunian, the caddies, themselves some of the best golfers in Jamaica, are eagerly awaiting this year’s competitors and are looking forward to supporting each player in his/her bid for the championship cup.

The Jamaica Open Golf tournament started in 1953 at the Constant Spring Golf Course in Kingston, Jamaica. It has become a highly anticipated fixture on the golf calendar.