Defending champion Sean Morris was uncertain he would play in this year’s Sandals Independence Classic.

But, as fate would have it, he eventually teed off at 11:00 am yesterday at the Sandals Golf and Country Club in St Ann and leads all golfers at the end of day one of the event with a one over par 72.

Morris, who is playing in the Men & Men Senior 0-6 category, had a very good start. He scored birdies on the first two holes and another two birdies on holes number seven and eight for a four under par 32 on the front nine.

His back nine was quite the opposite as he posted five over par 40, which included two birdies, four bogeys, and a triple bogey.

Morris is trailed by Narada Black by just one stroke after ending the day on two over par 73. Shamar Wilson was in third on 76, while National amateur champion Justin Burrowes was on 79 or seven shots off the lead.

Perennial national female champion, Jodi Munn-Barrow, leads her group with a score of 78, while Michele McCreath occupied second spot on 84.

Thajae Richareds (79), Barry Elignon (82), and Phillip Gooden (86) were the top three men in the Men & Men Senior 7-12 group.

The Men & Men Senior 13-24 saw Livingstone Morrison (90), Wayne Wray (103), and Delroy Anderson (108) taking the top three spots in that group.

Dorrel Allen (79), Tony Allison (80), and Edwin Lowe (81) are ahead in the Men Super Senior 0-12 category.

Donald Patterson (88) and Winston Johnson were joint leaders in the Men Super Senior 13-24 group ahead of Stephen Hill who posted 91.

The other ladies category, Ladies 13+ showed Novlette Maestrini (87), Yvonne Browne (95), and Diane Hudson (96) as the top three in the group.

In the Junior boys 16-17, Geovani Blair of the US (88) leads Jerome Thomas and Tenny Davis, who both shot eleven over par 92.

The 36-hole, two-day qualifier continues today with an 8:00 am shotgun start.