Head of State swings off President’s Golf Cup Tournament
Georgetown, GINA, September 16, 2012 -- Sorce
Forty six (46) golfers including the United States Ambassador Brent Hardt and Chairman of Banks DIH Clifford Reece, are competing in this year’s President’s Gold Cup Tournament which teed-off with a ceremonial swing by President Donald Ramotar at the Lusignan Golf Course early this morning.
President Donald Ramotar shaping up for a swing at the
inaugural President’s Gold Cup Tournament
The inaugural tournament is a partnership initiative of the Guyana Government through the Ministry of Tourism Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority(GTA) and the corporate community.
The event adds to the list of tournaments played at the venue and is being promoted by the Tourism Ministry in a way that seeks to lift the quality of the game and at the same time attracts the high end category of golf-loving tourists.
President Donald Ramotar holds his posture after taking
a swing at the ball during the opening of the President’s
Gold Cup Tournament
“We know a lot of our business tourists who come to Guyana sometimes do not know, or are aware that they can play golf in Guyana and we would want them to do this,” GTA’s Director Indranauth Haralsingh said at today’s opening.
The tournament will become an annual feature on the calendar of events of the Ministry of Tourism Industry and Commerce at the Lusignan venue that replaced the National Park as a suitable golf course.
A section of the gathering of players at the opening of the
President’s Gold Cup Tournament
President Ramotar was elated about the tournament launched in his name and more particularly the level of attention that is being given to the sport, especially be senior citizens, many of whom are competing in today’s tournament.
After a few attempts at hitting the ball with the golf club, President Ramotar was imbued with the confidence to successfully hit it.
“This is something that we should promote. It is a game that has a strong international recognition… since Tiger Woods became such a famous name in the sport it has popularised the sport enormously around the world,” President Ramotar said.
President Donald Ramotar with President of the Lusignan
Golf Course Jerome Khan (fourth from right) other
executives and players at the President’s Golf Cup Tournament
The likelihood of the game building prominence to the level of cricket and football is something President Ramotar said he is looking forward to as he encouraged President of the Lusignan Golf Course Jerome Khan and other executives to manage the affairs of the game “very well.”
The Golf Course is the venue for a majority of sponsored tournaments being staged from August to October including the Guyana Open which swings off on November 3. Guyanese players will be going off to the Suriname Open on September 29.