TRYALL, Hanover — Organisers of the 56th staging of the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) Open are expecting another thrilling contest when the three-day, 54-hole championship gets underway this morning at the Tryall Club near Sandy Bay, Hanover.

Defending champion American Patrick Cover, who will be shooting for a third title, will lead what the organisers say is a competitive field that will see two former Jamaican juniors, Justin Burrowes and Cebert Walker Jr, making their professional debuts.

Burrowes won the last two amateur titles at the JGA Open and they will be among a number of Jamaicans who will be teeing off over the three days of the championships.

Ewan Peebles, director of golf at Tryall, said, at Friday’s media briefing at the Tryall Great House, some adjustments had been made to the course that will challenge the participants.

“This week, in particular, we expect the course to show a little bit more deep than normal, especially if this wind keeps up,” he said. “We’ve tightened up some of the fairways, we’ve grown the rough a little longer than it normally is [on] the other set of 51 weeks of the year, so I think there’ll be a premium on accuracy off the tee this week. I think there’ll be a premium on managing the ball flight and the winds and… I think the last five holes here at Tryall will really separate a good run from a great run.”

Peebles said he would challenge anyone “to come up with another golf course in the Caribbean with a history that stands out and up to comparison with that [which] we have here at Tryall”.

“This golf course, year after year separates the good from the great. And the way it’s set up this year, I know it will do the same. Whoever comes out on top will be a worthy, worthy champion,” he said.

Peebles later added that once again they had received more rain than what was good for the course, but told journalists that the sunshine and strong winds they have had since Thursday would help the course improve in time for today’s start of play.

JGA President Jodi Munn-Barrow pointed out that the JGA Open was first contested in 1953 and is one of the oldest tournaments in the region, pointing out as well that “…it’s gonna be a little bit more difficult thanks to the golf course superintendent”.

Cover shot a 13 under par 203 last year to win the tournament and the US$20,000 prize after winning in 2019, with another American Josh Anderson shooting nine under par 207, while defending champion Michael Maguire was third with eight under par 208.