By Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - SportJAMAICA'S LEADING amateurs swing away for regional glory today when the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships (CAGC) start at The Plantations Golf and Country Club course in Tobago.
Caribbean powerhouse Puerto Rico swept all before them when they hosted the event last year and are expected to be extremely hard to topple this year but there is cautious optimism in the Jamaica camp despite a radical format change.
The feature event of the CAGC the men's Hoerman Cup competition has been reduced from six competitors per team to four with the three best scores now counting instead of the previous four.
More intrinsically affected is the women's George Teale Trophy event which last year featured three players but has now been reduced to two with only one score counting towards the team's tally instead of two.
Counteracting those pared down competitions is a new section called Mid-Amateurs for men over 35.
The tournament changes have not been greeted with open arms by all segments of the regional golfing community and further changes are expected before next year's event tees off at a venue in the Organisation of East Caribbean States (OECS).
However, for now, the teams have to make do with the current format on the Tobagan par-72 course.
Before leaving the island on Saturday, Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) president Gordon Hutchinson predicted a solid showing from his side.
"I think, realistically, we should finish in the top three overall," Hutchinson said. "Puerto Rico are very strong and the Dominican Republic will do very well but with this new format you just don't know. Especially in the Ladies now where it virtually comes down to matchplay between the best ladies instead of team play.
"I think our best title chance will come from the SuperSeniors, Cleo Taylor and Herman McDonald won that (Higgs and Higgs Trophy) section two years ago in the US Virgin Islands," he said.
"We also could have a good chance in the Mid-Amateurs with Michael Gleichman but we'll just have to wait and see."
Leading the team's Hoerman Cup charge is national champion Owen Samuda who said the paring down of that competition could assist Jamaica.
"I like that. I think we have a better chance. Puerto Rico have a lot of good players. We have good players too but not as many so that takes some of their depth away," Samuda said.
"The most important day of the tournament is the first day and we can't let Puerto Rico run away like they have in the past," he said.
"We would like to put some pressure on them and make them think a lot."
Jamaica's squad - Hoerman Cup: Michael Scott, Owen Samuda, Paul Thompson, Jason Garbutt. George Teale Trophy: Maggie Lyn, Tiffany Terrier. Francis and Steele Perkins Trophy (Seniors): Dennis Atkinson, Hamar Dayes. Higgs and Higgs Trophy (SuperSeniors): Cleo Taylor, Herman McDonald. Mid-Amateurs: Mike Gleichman, Fred Sutherland.
