THE prestigious Jamaica Open Golf Championship returns after a four-year absence with its 50th staging, to be held at the world-famous Half Moon Golf Course in Montego Bay, January 11-14.

The tournament was last played in 2012 to celebrate Jamaica’s 50th Independence celebrations. It was won by Russ Cochran of the United States, who also won in 2011.

Peter Chin, president of the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA), said he was extremely pleased that the Jamaica Open has returned.

Speaking during yesterday’s press launch at the Spanish Court Hotel, he noted that the Jamaica Open Championship, which was first held in 1953 at the Constant Spring Golf Club, is also the oldest and longest- running tournament in the Caribbean.

“This tournament has produced many local and international champions who have participated over the years,” Chin said.

The JGA president said the championship, which has a purse of US$100,000, is expected to attract international and local golfers.

“We will encourage the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) to expose them and take advantage to accumulate revenues, as the golfers spend more money than the average tourists,” said Chin.

According to the golf president, the Dominican Republic is presently the number one golf course destination in the Caribbean, but Jamaica has many golf courses so close to each other on the north coast that many in the Caribbean cannot compare or match them.

He singled out some of Jamaica ‘splayers who have participated in the Jamaica Open and come out as champions. Johnny Bloomfield, three-time winner in 2006, 2008 and 2009, is expected to participate in the event.

Well-known Jamaica top-ranked player Seymour Rose has won the Jamaica Open on many occasions, while Wesley Brown, currently Jamaica’s top performing professional golfer, is also to participate.

Chairman of the Jamaica Open Championship Committee and former president of the JGA Wayne Chai-Chung said some of the international players who are set to play have been to internationally acclaimed competitions such as PGA Champions Tour, US Senior Open and Latin America Tour and former Ryder Cup stars.

Chung said players are expected to come from Europe, Australia, Latin America, North and South America, Europe, Caribbean and hosts Jamaica.

He said the event will also see several young Jamaica players participating alongside the professionals in the Pro-Am tournament.

Sponsors of the Jamaica Open Championship include Tourism Enhancement Fund, Sports Development Foundation, Supreme Ventures Limited, Half Moon Hotel, NCB Capital Markets, Spanish Court Hotel, Purenational Ice, Juici Beef and Television Jamaica (TVJ).