By Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport 
Munn and Smith
THE NATIONAL Amateur Championships tee off at the Caymanas Golf and Country Club today and the race for the men's crown promises to be the most wide open in years.
With defending champion Owen Samuda absent due to work commitments in the United States, many-time champion John Smith, Mike Gleichman, Michael 'Bones' Scott, Jason Garbutt and youngsters Paul Thompson, Xavier Rose and Damion Spencer all have legitimate claims to win the title.
However, after 54 holes, Scott looks the likely man to replace his good friend Samuda as the king of Jamaican golf.
The men's Senior section also looks exceedingly competitive with the usual suspects - Dennis Atkinson, Francis Delgado, Fred Sutherland, Bill Telling, Hamar Dayes and Tony Gooden - renewing their well-worn rivalries.
The other classifications are far more clear-cut.
The Ladies section should be a straight-out battle between Maggie Lyn and Jodi Munn while Ava Lee and Leiza Blakeley loom as outside threats.
The men's Superseniors should also be a two-horse race between in-form Cleo Taylor and Herman McDonald while the Ladies Seniors appears to be a showdown between Anne Telling and Cynthia Tuckey.
Apart from attempting to claim silverware and bragging rights for a year, Jamaica squad members will also be aiming to impress the national selection triumvirate of Teddy Richards, Ian Melville and David Mais.
After Sunday's final round, the team for next month's Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships in Puerto Rico will be chosen. Only two players, Scott and Taylor, automatically qualified for the event from the National Trials held last month at the Caymanas and Half Moon courses.
First tee time today is 8:00 a.m.
