Domenico Geminiani lead qualifiers into 3rd BMW Jamaica Classic
ROSE HALL, St James — Italian Domenico Geminiani shot a seven under par 65 to lead the 10 qualifiers who will join the field for Thursday’s start of the third BMW Jamaica Classic, PGA LatinoAmérica, at Cinnamon Hill Course in Rose Hall.
It took a play-off to decide the qualifiers after four of the top 10 finished tied on even par 72, and Steven Thomas and Aaron Wilson topped the play-off to join the other eight.
Three players shot three under par 69 — Mitchell Meissner, Daniel Barbetti of Argentina, and American Dan O’Rourke. Dutchman Rowin Caron and Thomas Lilly carded two under par 70, while Brian Mogg and Garland Smith came in at one under 71.
A total of 144 golfers from some 20 countries will tee off on Thursday’s first day of the four-round tournament, and will be playing for US$175,000 prize money.
“The BMW Jamaica Classic, the only stop of the PGA LatinoAmerica tour in the Caribbean has, for the third time in as many starts, attracted massive names which include the likes of Tom Whitney, John Somers, Cristóbal Del Solar, and Ryan Ruffels, the best of the PGA Latino America tour this year,” a release from the organisers said.
The winner will get US$31,500 as well as points towards the Order of Merit.
Jamaica and the Caribbean will be well represented this week with Justin Burrows and Orville Christie; Chris Richards Snr, Ben Martin, Dustin Risdon, Wan Ju Lee and Xzavier Wiggins from Trinidad and Tobago; and Matthew Marquez, a T&T native who qualified from Barbados’ leg of qualifiers.
Jamaica is the 17th country and the first English-speaking Caribbean nation to host an official PGA TOUR of the Latinoamérica event. The BMW Jamaica Classic is hosted by SportsMax and sponsored by the Jamaica Tourist Board, Iberostar Resorts, and Cinnamon Hill.
The tournament has, in the past, attracted players from more than 20 countries — including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, England, Finland, Jamaica, Mexico, Monaco, Norway, Puerto Rico, Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, and Venezuela.
— Paul Reid
