The 2013 Columbus Business Solutions/AMCHAM Golf Classic was launched yesterday at the Courtleigh Hotel in Kingston.

David Mais, the tournament director, indicated that it will be held on Sunday, June 23, at the Caymanas Golf Club in St Catherine. It will be a shotgun start at 9:00 am and Stableford format. He said that the competing categories are men, men seniors and super seniors, ladies, and juniors as well as a corporate section involving various corporate teams. Mais was expecting a full field from the golfing community to compete for top honours and prizes.

Celsa Nuno was the overall winner last year. Men Under-50 went to Trevin Chin-Pin. Larry Lodenquai took the Men Over-50 category, while the junior category went to Russell Wilson-Spence.

Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica, Becky Stockhausen, who spoke at the launch, highlighted the importance of the golf classic to the work of the chamber in terms of its contribution to its various outreach programmes and charities. She said that several sponsors had come on board to help make the tournament a success and to allow for a financial contribution to be made to this year’s charity – The In The City Golf Junior Programme, which is administered by the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA).

Stockhausen indicated that the organisers had again secured excellent prizes for the gold classic. Some of the prizes include airline tickets, weekends for two, spa certificates, electronic appliances as well as trophies for the various winners.

Vice-president of Columbus Business Solutions, John Clear said, “We have come on board to support this golf classic because we believe that sports enriches the lives of those who participate in it, creating positive experiences regardless of background or circumstances. Through this event, Amcham and its partners are exposing inner-city children to the sport of golf and we are pleased to join the team and announce our support for the In The City Golf Junior Programme.”

President of the JGA Wayne Chai Chong thanked the organisers for selecting their junior golf programme as this year’s charity. He said that since the programme started they had impacted 250 students at three primary schools, namely, St Anne’s, St Aloysius and Jesie Riwpoll. Additionally, he said that come September they were going to increase the number of schools from three to six.

The sponsors for this year’s golf classic are title sponsor Columbus Business Solutions, Supreme Ventures and Rubis Energy.