TRYALL, Hanover — There was an air of excitement at Friday’s media briefing for the 58th staging of the Vybwear Jamaica Golf Open at Tryall Club following last year’s cancellation due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

The event is to kick off today with the playing of the Pro-Am with 76 competitors, led by defending champion Benjamin Martin of Trinidad and Tobago and 2023 winner Andrew Arf of the United States, ahead of Sunday’s start of the three-day, 54-hole championship.

While the monster storm passed just over a year ago, its legacy is still being felt with the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) losing its biggest fund-raising event. The hurricane also left serious damage to the course.

Jody Munn-Barrow, president of the JGA, said this year’s renewal means a lot to the sport.

“This year’s tournament is particularly meaningful, as we return following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, which forced the cancellation of the 2025 Jamaica Open,” she said. “That cancellation was a tremendous financial blow to the Jamaica Golf Association, as this tournament represents our principal revenue-generating event and plays a critical role in funding our programmes, competitions, and the development of golf in Jamaica.”

Munn-Barrow added: “It is also a reminder of how challenging it continues to be for non-traditional sports such as golf to attract consistent and sustained financial support. We have talented athletes, dedicated volunteers, and tremendous potential, but without the necessary corporate partnerships, our ability to develop the sport remains limited.”

She had high praises for the presenting sponsors, the Summy family and Vybwear.

“[Their] continued commitment to this tournament, particularly after the challenges of last year, speaks volumes about their belief in Jamaican golf and their willingness to invest in its future. Their support goes well beyond a financial contribution. It represents a genuine partnership and a commitment to helping us preserve and grow an event that is so important to our golfing community,” she said.

Ewan Peebles, director of golf at Tryall Club, told the Jamaica Observer that despite damage to the course where over 500 trees were said to have been blown down, and recent heavy rains, the course will bring the best out of players.

“It’s a little more open than it was a couple of years ago, but still, a great test of golf. I think it balances out. It may be ever so slightly easier, but I promise you, when the wind blows, this is still a serious test of golf,” he said.

Hanover, he said, got a lot of rain in the last few months, and this will impact the competition, especially on the first day.

“The golf course is not quite as firm and fast as we might ideally like it but it’s green, it’s lush, it’s beautiful, and I promise you, it’ll provide a stern test for the players this week.

“We’ve got some great players here, so you can expect some low scores. I think the first 12 or 13 holes are, if you’re playing well, are very, very scorable. The last five holes on the golf course, even the best players tend to find them very challenging, so that would be my prediction.

“Even the the top players this week will probably make most of their scores on the front nine, maybe through 12, 13 holes, and then a lot’s going to come down to how well they play those last five holes,” Peebles said.