The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Devaughn Robinson and Cameron Riley are both coming home with the same goal in mind. They want to win the prestigious Bahamas Professional Golfers Association’s National Championship title and earn the rights to represent the Bahamas at the two Korn Ferry Golf Tour events in Exuma and Abaco in January.

Vernon Lockhart, championship chairman of the BGF, headed by Glen Pratt, indicated that all signs are pointing to a very competitive tournament that will run from Thursday to Sunday at the Ocean Golf Club on Paradise Island.

With this being the 50th anniversary of the BGF, Lockhart noted that they have combined the men, ladies and senior divisions with the floating trophy for the low total score turned in by any player being presented in memory of Leroy ‘Roy’ Bowe, the first Bahamian professional. The men’s trophy will be in honour of Donald ‘Nine’ Rolle, the first Bahamian pro winner, while the senior men’s trophy is in honour of the late Jim ‘The Swingman’ Duncombe and the ladies’ trophy will be held in honour of Francis Dunn, the first Bahamian female pro golfer.

Georgette Rolle-Harris, the head golf pro at Baha Mar, and Racquel Riley from Grand Bahama are the only two females participating, while the senior pros are Chris Lewis, Glen Pratt, Vernon Lockhart and Greg Maycock. Robinson and Riley head the list of men who will round off the anticipated field of 15-20 golfers.

“What we are trying to do is to get the association back on its feet,” Lockhart said. “The association has been dormant for so long and it’s time that we put it on the right footing where we are able to control professional golf in the country.

“Because it’s been stagnant for so long, things have happened and we have no control over it. So we need to get the association back up and functioning properly. That is the same function.”

While the event is designed for 72 holes, at the end of the first 36 on Thursday and Friday, the low male professional will gain the exemption for the Exuma Korn Ferry and the male finishers in the final 36 holes on Saturday and Sunday will gain the spot for the Abaco Korn Kerry.

Robinson, who won the first qualifying tournament to earn the rights to compete in Exuma, said he wants to win again.

“My game is not as good as I want it to be, but I feel I’m gaining confidence in it every day,” said Robinson. “Ocean Club is a course I know and love to play on, so I just have to manage it well and take advantage of the errors in my game.”

With both Exuma and Abaco on the line, the 35-year-old Robinson said he might as well go for both spots. He’s also thrilled with the fact that the BPGA is putting the national title on the line as well.

“I’m happy that the BPGA is bringing the Nationals back and the title is up for grabs,” he said. “It’s something we haven’t done in a long time. We didn’t have the leadership that we have now in Glenn Pratt.

“He wants us to take golf to the next level and I think we have the talent to do it. So with his support, we are going to try and get it done. This is a step in the right direction to achieving that goal.”

Riley, who is coming in from Orlando, Florida, said he’s up for the challenge.

“I expect to compete and play to the best of my ability at the Ocean Club Golf Course,” he said. “My game is in a great spot right now, so I’m planning on taking the tournament one shot at a time and letting everything else work out, controlling what I can control.”

In preparation for the tournament, Riley said he’s made some changes over the past month that he’s seen some results with.

“I’ve prepared very intentionally and hard for this event and I’m confident in myself and my abilities going into it,” he stated.

The 24-year-old admits that his aim for the tournament is a very simply one.

“I am shooting to win the championship and win both spots for both the events in January,” he said. “They are huge events that can springboard my career and the more experience I can get playing at the highest level, the better for me.”

Over the past year, Robinson and Riley have been participating in the Advocates Professional Golf Circuit where they competed in about 12 events during the course of the season, in addition to four invitationals from California to Philadelphia.

“I had a really good start in the season, but I sort of fell off a bit during the year,” Robinson pointed out.

“But I had some really good showings with some really good scores, so I’m hoping to use what I learned to build as I improve a little more for next year.”

Like Robinson, Riley too has been playing in the Advocates Professional Golf Circuit.

He admitted that “it’s been an up and down year, but I’ve had more successes than failures. I’m looking forward to coming home and competing on a course that I competed on as a kid.”

Lockhart, on behalf of the BPGA, which includes Pratt, Riley, the first female president now the secretary and former president Lewis, who is now the executive director, thanked Insurance Management for putting up the trophies and the Ocean Cluib for hosting the event.

“We want to make an appeal to the wider golfing community, if they can still assist, we are still looking for a little sponsorship money,” he said. “We have prize money from the registration for all three categories, but if anyone wants to assist in increasing the funds, we will gladly accept the donation.”