OVER 60 golfers will tee off in the two-day Caymanas Golf Classic at Caymanas Golf Club in St Catherine today, starting at 7:30 am. It is the first Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) qualifying event on the calendar for this year.

Defending champion in the ladies’ category is Jodie Munn-Barrow while Justin Burrowes will seek to reprise his title in men’s action.

A special feature of this year’s classic is that the eight competitors in the Men and Men’s Senior 0-6 (WAGR) category will play 54 holes over the two days (27 holes each day) in a bid to gain world amateur golf ranking points that will allow them to play in more tournaments across the region and the world, which tournaments are open only to ranked golfers.

The JGA got approval last year to play 54 holes over two days, instead of the normal three days, in order to gain ranking points from the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A), and the Unites States Golf Association (USGA).

Two of the local golfers that have world golf ranking points are Burrowes with 347 and William Knibbs at 741. They were invited to play in this year’s Latin America Amateur Golf Championships in January as the two highest-ranked amateur golfers in Jamaica at the moment.

Burrowes expects to be tested by this weekend’s format.

“I am looking forward to get going this weekend. I haven’t played a 54-hole tournament in two days since this tournament last year so I am looking forward to the test,” he said.

The other six golfers who will compete in the Men & Men’s Senior category are Sean Morris, Zandre Roye, Trey Williams, Tenny Davis, Robert Sterling and Wayne Chai-Chong. Roye and Knibbs placed second and third, respectively, in last year’s Classic.

Some of the other golfers to look out for include Metry Seaga, Peter Chin, Mike Gleichman, Major Desmon Brown, Rowena Coe and Diane Hudson.