The Turks and Caicos Islands has won the 27th annual Caribbean Classic Golf Tournament, following three days of competition in Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic on the 29th of April 2023.
The Caribbean Classic is one of the highlights of Competitive Golf, organized by the Caribbean Golf Association. It allows participation of amateurs from 12 countries, including the Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico, Guadalupe, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Martinique, St Lucia, and USVI.
“Having led a team of seventy two (72) golfers to Casa de Campo, our homeland, the Turks and Caicos Islands was well represented,” said Turks and Caicos Islands Golf Association Vice President Mark Fulford.
“We are proud to carry the flag of Turks and Caicos and win this tournament as we have been competing for years and happy to become this year’s Champion. Special thanks to the golfers who gave of their time, talent and money to be apart of the team this year. We hope we can take a larger team next year.”
TCI Director of Sports Jarrett Forbes accompanied the TCI Golf Association and National Team to the Caribbean Golf Classic and was overjoyed that the TCI Golf team made a spectacular showing in presence and performance.
Forbes said, “golf is a great sport with endless opportunities, and I recommend that young Turks Islanders take up the sport. I would like to commend the players who represented the TCI in their astonishing achievements!"
Head Golf Professional of Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club Mr Sean Wilson stated: "that it was a great win for team Turks and Caicos as they represented the country proudly and brought back the trophies in all three divisions on behalf of the TCIGA! It is a very proud moment in our history of golf in the country."
Organized by the Caribbean Golf Association and hosted by one of the members of the twelve countries of the CGA, the Caribbean Classic is an individual and team event, competed for, by teams of unlimited number of players from each participating member country, playing eighteen holes each day.
Team Turks and Caicos amassed the most points overall and won the George Noon Cup for the first time in 27 years! Team Turks and Caicos men's team won the Robert Grell Trophy, and the team Turks and Caicos ladies won the Jodi Munn Barrow Trophy.
Individual winners include Audrey Hardie in 2nd place LF 7 division, Carol Brown in 1st place LF 6 division, Lucy Bullard in 2nd place LF 5 division, Kerry Wessinger in 1st place LF 4 division, Christina Pretorius in 2nd place LF 3 division, Andrea Todd in 2nd place LF 1 division.
Men winners include Justin Simons 3rd place in MP division, Jonathan Kattan 1st place in M6 Flight, Jarrett Forbes in 2nd place M5 flight, Terry Kuula in 3rd place M4 flight and Carl DeFazio in 2nd place M3 flight.