Magna Motors Dealership, authorised dealers of Hyundai motor vehicles in Jamaica, yesterday announced details of the inaugural Hyundai Cup Golf Tournament to be staged June 29, July 7 and July 20 at Caymanas Golf Club.

“This is the perfect time for Hyundai to enter the sports landscape in Jamaica. Our premium vehicles are seamlessly aligned with the pursuits and interests of the Jamaican golfer,” said Etus Collman, sales manager for Magna Motors — Hyundai.

“I think this is a wonderful thing for the brand, for Hyundai, and a wonderful thing for Jamaican golfers also — to have them in this competition ahead of the bigger competition in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic). We’re involved for the awareness as well as to show our support for sports like golf,” Collman added during yesterday’s launch at Hyundai’s Old Hope Road-based showroom.

Organisers have set a target of 10 teams, comprising eight players each, to compete in the Hyundai Cup. At least one female must be on each team.

All match days are to have a shotgun start, and on the last day, in addition to the regular 18-hole competition, there will be a three-hole play-off to decide the overall champion team. Competition will be played in four handicap categories from 0-36. Teams will accumulate points based on their ranking in the handicap categories.

Coming out of the tournament, golfers will get the chance to play in the ProAm tournament of the PGA-sanctioned Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship in the Dominican Republic next March. A VIP hospitality package has been designed for two players and their guests throughout the Corales PGA weekend of activities.

Among players set to compete is Dr Andre Foote, team captain of the Buccaneers.

“My duty as captain is to get my team mentally ready and focused on the goal of winning the tournament. We are ready and raring to go and expect our team to put in an exceptional performance and win this tournament,” said Foote.

Peter Chin, president of the Jamaica Golf Association, said the tournament is a meaningful addition to the sporting calendar.

“An event like this is unique because it’s a team event and right now, we don’t have any team event on the golfing calendar. What the team event does is to involve players of all levels. Most of the events we have now people think they have to be very good golfers to play, but this event is designed so you have good players, not-so-good players and players who are just starting,” he said.

Nicholas Benjamin, the Guardsman Group director of operations, said: “We’re very excited about it, and as I mentioned earlier we are interested in trying to better the Jamaican society through proper dieting and exercise and this is just one of the ways we can help to support that.”

Kareen Cox, the public relations executive at GB Energy — Texaco Jamaica, noted that her company’s involvement coincides with its centenary celebrations.

“We have had a long partnership with Hyundai over the years, so when they reached out to us to come on board for this tournament it was an immediate yes. We are looking forward to having the tournament and to execute the tournament to mark our 100th anniversary,” she said.

The Hyundai Cup is presented in association with National Commercial Bank, Guardsman Group, GB Energy – Texaco Jamaica, the Jamaica Observer, Wisynco, Select Brands, and Main Event.

Registration for the tournament is available at hyundaicup.golf and closes on June 10.