The 15th staging of the Couples Resorts Negril Charity Golf Tournament returns to the Negril Hills course today, with close to 70 local and overseas amateurs and professionals set to compete as organisers look to raise at least $1 million towards charities in the western region.

Over $1.4 million was raised to the benefit of the Grange Hill Primary School and the Montego Bay Animal Haven at the last staging of the event in 2022, and director and former Couples Resorts CEO Glenn Lawrence is expecting the return to Negril Hills Golf Club to not only showcase the lesser-known golfing product in the Negril area but also generate much-needed funds for schools and institutions in the area.

“The main focus point of this tournament has been to raise sufficient funds for the local charities that we have selected. We have not selected one yet that will receive the benefits, but in the past we have focused our energies in the many schools in the West that have needed help for various reasons,” said Lawrence.

“Besides the schools, we have also helped some of the animal shelters in the region and every now and then we have helped some of the medical facilities, but we have focused on the schools such as Grange Hill Primary, Mount Airy Early Childhood Institution, Green Island High, Llandilo School of Special Education, and Clifton Boys Home,” Lawrence added. “We haven’t selected where the proceeds from this tournament will go but 100 per cent of the monies we raise from the sponsors and the entry fee will go towards one of these charities.”

Former national champion Sean Morris along with John Hayletts walked away with top honours during the event’s last staging at Negril Hills and the multiple winner of the Caribbean Senior Championships is again expected among the participants at this year’s tournament.

One of the tournament’s main backers is long-time sponsors C&W Business and Andrew Fazio, director of business process outsourcing (BPO) and hospitality, says his company is thrilled to again offer its support to the initiative as it looks to extend the event’s impact on its community.

“As a proud partner of the 15th Annual Couples Resorts Negril Charity Golf Tournament since its inception, C&W remains committed to supporting initiatives that make a real difference in our community. This event not only brings people together for a great cause, but also aligns with our core values of giving back and fostering meaningful connections. Each year we witness the positive impact this tournament has, and we are honoured to continue playing a role in driving that change,” said Fazio.

Meanwhile, Lawrence, an avid golfer himself, pointed out that he is looking forward to top competition from the many amateur players who are expected to participate and welcomed the return to the Negril Hills course, which has had its fair share of challenges particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We generally focus on an amateur section. In the past we did try a professional section, but we did not get as many people… So we kept it on the amateur side and we are hoping to see several of the Jamaican amateurs who have very good golf games, like Sean Morris, who usually supports our charities, and several of the good local pros that are playing currently in Jamaica,” said Lawrence.

“[The Negril tournament] took a beak, and one of the issues we had was the Negril Hills course, because it’s the only golf course that’s in western Jamaica where two of our hotels are situated — Couples Negril and Couples Swept Away — we thought it’s important to actually have the tournament in the west, and the course, post-COVID was not in the greatest of shape, but we asked the tournament organiser, Sebert Walker, to check it out to see if they were able to bring it back up to scratch and it’s in a playable condition,” he added.

Considering the brief absence, Lawrence admitted several challenges in putting the field together but is now eagerly anticipating a competitive day.

“When you start back something after having — we were up to 15 years continuously — when you take a break, it’s not as easy to get the wheels as greased as before. I think if we get anywhere between 60 and 70 players, we would have done fairly well,” said Lawrence.