Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport

Maggie Lyn ... Jamaica's sole hope in the women's section. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

AFTER A nine-year break, the Jamaica Open Golf Championship returns to the national sporting stage today at the Caymanas Golf and Country Club in St. Catherine.

Sixteen local and overseas-based professional players will chase the first-place prize of US$8,000 while about two dozen amateurs will, in various handicap flights, compete for trophies and the title of Jamaica Open amateur champion in the 54-hole event which ends on Saturday.

U.S.-based players John Bloomfield and Peter Horrobin plus Caymanas pro Jason Lopez look the class of the small but competitive professional field but the likes of Ralph 'Jimmy' Campbell, Sebert Walker, Ewan Peebles, Ernest Bernard and Florida-based Jay Dolan should also have a shot at clinching the island's top professional golf crown.

After the first two rounds there will be a cut with the top 50 per cent of the professional field (plus ties) advancing to Saturday's final round.

Youth, experience

A keen tussle is also expected among the amateurs who feature a mixture of youth and experience. Hoerman Cuppers Fabian Campbell and Damion Spencer plus Paul Thompson lead the young guns' charge while Gifford Wilmot, Radcliff Knibbs and veteran Dennis Atkinson will fly the flag for the 'older brigade'.

Another veteran, Maggie Lyn, will be Jamaica's lone hope in the three-woman field at the event.

Lyn will be challenged by the Curaçao duo of Jewel Rocks and Eileen Carol.

First tee time today and tomorrow is 8:00 a.m. Part proceeds from the Open will go to the Waterloo district in St. Catherine.