The three days` tournament featured a 9-hole amateur stableford competition, a caddy competition and an 18-hole Pro-Am competition. Over 40 players took part in this year’s event held in honour of the late Statesman.
The Pro-Am tournament featured teams of one pro and three amateurs in a fourball texas scramble.
GGA set aside D30,000 for the pro prize money and also sponsored the caddies` prizes as well as some amateur prizes.
Edrissa Jammeh won the first position in the professional category followed by Yusupha Conteh, with Lamine Jammeh taking third place and Yusupha Tamba finished in fourth position.
Joseph Nyongesa came first, Brian Power took second, Ebrima Jawara came third and Paul Maroun fourth position in the 9-hole amateur stableford competition.
Brian Power won the nearest to the pin prize and Tracey Horton-Maher won the longest drive prize.
Ebrima Jarju was named winner in the caddies` category, with Nfansu Drammeh coming second, Matarr Bah third, and Abdoulie Samateh finishing fourth.
Meanwhile, last year’s tournament (the first edition) was held a couple of days before late Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara’s birthday.
Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, GMRG, GCMG, FRCVS, was the first Chief Patron of The Gambia Golf Association, who died peacefully aged 95 at his home in Fajara, on Tuesday 27 August 2019.
Sir Dawda's personal contribution and that of his government, to the game of golf in The Gambia is unparalleled. The late Sir Dawda was a keen golfer and used to compete regularly in the Hassan II Golf Trophy in Rabat, Morocco.
Ebrima Jawara, President of the GGA and a son of the late Sir Dawda, stated that their main challenge is finding funding to sponsor athletes and tournaments, but noted they manage with what they have to hold regular tournaments.
“Most of our members are financially reliant and can afford to play the game without any assistance”.
“We are lucky that we can organise major tournaments and even international tournaments on a limited budget,” he went on, while adding that the Ministry of Youth and Sports has created the enabling environment for the sport to progress in the country.
He said they understand the Ministry of Youth and Sports` constraints, pointing out that The Gambia is not a rich country and there are over 30 sports associations and other vital sectors that need funding from Government.
He thanked the Fajara Club and Government on behalf of the family of the late President of the Republic of The Gambia, for their support in honouring his late father.
Abdoulie Bojang, of the National Sports Council who represented the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, said as a sports coordinating body, the Council wants to see the development and progress of all sports in the country.
He commended the GGA under the leadership of Ebrima Jawara, for their steadfastness in trying to develop the game in the country. He advised them to continue staging more tournaments, saying golf can bring a lot of income for the country especially in the tourism sector.
Beatrice Allen, president of the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC), said golf is an Olympic sport and that they are ready to support the Game of Golf to the level where “we will have a golfer that will represent the Gambia at the Olympic Games.”
“Golf is a beautiful sport and the people in-charge of golf are very organised and serious about what they are doing,” she stated.
