After nine holes, Team Six from Panama — comprising Ricardo Aleman, Edwin Verga, Yon Jayo and Bruno Chaquyo — hold the lead on the first day of the two-day Sandals Latin American Travel Agents Golf Tournament at the Sandals Golf and Country Club in Ocho Rios yesterday.

The Panamanians with a combined score of 32 lead ahead of Team #16 from Peru (Thomas Savard, Liliana Foriano, Daniela Silva and Daniela Valdiva) on a score of 35.

Team 15 (Ayira Prates, Daniela Schiitz, Agostinho Netto and Renato Funtos) from Brazil are third on a score of 37, with Team Two from Chile, which consisted of Jose Tupper, Maria McKay, Claudio Engaber and Roberto Montoya, fourth on 38.

The fifth staging of the event features teams playing in a four-man scramble format, putting their skills to the test competing in various competitions throughout the tournament. These categories included: overall champions and runners-up; closest to pin female; closest to pin male; longest drive female; longest drive male.

Miguel Arthurs, general manager of the Sandals Golf and Country Club, said it was a very good first day, and he is anticipating an exciting final day.

“Today (yesterday), as is customary with the previous events, has started off with a bang. We are within the Latinos and they are a party bunch but most importantly, they jointed on with us with our initiative of Sandals Foundation, especially with what had happened with the hurricanes affecting the Caribbean.

“They [Latinos] have participate in our putting competition and also tomorrow (today) they will be doing our pro-hole competition where you start off with a donation of US$10 and whosoever wins actually gets a voucher to go into our pro shop,” he said.

“The remaining donation goes to our Sandals Foundation and our initiative to continue to promote charity and good initiative throughout the Caribbean. Outside of that. The Sandals Golf Course product was completely showcased.

“They played nine holes today (yesterday) and they will be play anther nine holes tomorrow (today) and it will be fun again. New faces, new teams, and a lot of returning persons and again it is towards a great cause,” Arthurs told the Jamaica Observer.

The awards presentation will take place at Sandals Ochi Beach this evening.

—Ruddy Allen