TRYALL, Hanover — A full field of 90 players, led by the last two winners, will compete for an improved purse of US$110,000 as the 55th Jamaica Golf Association Open gets underway at the Tryall Club this morning with the first group teeing off at 7:00 am.

Despite rains over the last few days leading into the three-day, 54-hole championship, optimism is high that the event will produce world-class golf from day one.

The trend was set last year when it took a play-off for American Michael Maguire to beat compatriot Ryan Sullivan on the first hole of a dramatic sudden death play-off in fading light.

Four of the top five from last year, plus 2019 champion Patrick Cover will add to the quality of the field, according to Peter Chin, chairman of the organising committee.

“We have a full field of 90 players this year, 20 more than last year and we have improved the purse to US$110,000 up by US$10,000 over last year,” he said at Saturday’s media briefing at Tryall. “We are expecting good golf this year.”

Ewan Peebles, director of golf at Tryall Club, said despite the rain on Friday and Saturday, “the course is ready” and that the precipitation might be mixed blessings.

“We had heavy rains on Friday and more scheduled [for Saturday] and that has softened up the course over the last 24 hours or so,” he said on Saturday. “If we can get through the Pro-Am [Saturday afternoon], the forecast for the three tournament days calls for little or no rain,” he said.

Peebles said while the “rains should green up the course”, it will cause the course to “play softer and a little longer, but the big thing is no wind at all and the wind is typically a major feature here at Tryall and part of the challenge”.

He added: “The course is ready though and the greens are rolling beautifully, we have worked very hard, particularly over the past month preparing all the playing surfaces and the course is looking very nice.”

Scott Summy of main sponsor Aqua Bay Resorts has also played the course this past week and says he has high expectations.

“The quality of the players is going to be high…I have played the course this week and the course looks unbelievable and the greens are rolling amazing, [because] the people at Tryall have done a great job preparing the course,” he noted.

This is the third year that Summy’s company has partnered with the event. “It’s a great event to be associated with, great venue, great setting and great opportunity for the players to come in and compete.”