Annual Latin American Travel Agents Golf Tournament held at the Sandals Golf and Country Club in Upton, St Ann, has ended, and Miguel Arthurs, general manager of the property, has declared it a huge success.

Not necessarily because of the quality of play on the golf course, but more importantly due to the prospects of attracting new visitors to the Sandals hotel chain, as well as the positive spin-offs that will accrue to the Sandals Foundation, and by extension, its junior golf programme.

“I think the tournament ended with a bang, particularly because it is on a day that we do our junior golf programme, so a lot of the travel agents when they were competing in the respective junior golf programme contests in the tournament that the proceeds go towards the Sandals Foundation they were able to see the junior golfers in action being taught; learning how to play and putt, and also participating in the various activities,” stated Arthurs at the completion of yesterday’s round of the two-day scramble format, fourman tournament.

“The feedback that I got from them was very encouraging because it brought it to life for the travel agents.

“Amidst that was their own excitement of being a part of the tournament, having played the first day, they themselves had their own views and commitments on how they would perform today (yesterday), so they would have come out with more vigour and excitement, and they did not disappoint,” explained Arthurs.

He said coming out of all the positives from this year’s tournament, he was expecting a fantastic tournament for next year. “Already I am hearing participants talking about inviting more persons and going home to practise to come back and play better, and I do expect that next year we will go over the 10- country participant mark, so all in all I think it is a resounding success.”

“I think it was perfectly timed where we had the junior golfers here in their own programme while the tournament was being played and it brought everything together, and also it was fun all together.”

Up to press time yesterday, the points tabulation had not been completed, but it is understood that overnight leaders, Team Nine, comprising Rodrigo Yanez Sala, and Roman Valdivia Acevedo of Turismo Rays SPA, as well as Alejandra Madrid and Renato Garcia of Travel Home, won the tournament by a huge margin, having carded 63, for a nine-stroke lead at the half-way stage.

There was also competition in the Closest to Pin Female; Closest to Pin Male; Longest Drive Female, and Longest Drive Male. The awards presentation was slated for last night at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort.