The Tribune

By BRENT TUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER two rounds of play in the Korn Ferry Tour in the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at the Sandals Emerald Bay Resorts in Exuma, Bahamian exempt professional golfer Devaughn Robinson was eliminated from the final two days of competition.

But as the only player to represent the Bahamas against some of the best players in the world, Robinson is now looking forward to the next stop in Abaco at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the Abaco Club January 21-24.

At the end of the two days of competition in Exuma yesterday, Robinson finished with a total score of 153. He needed atleast 144 or better to go and play in the main draw of the event over the final two days, but he fell short by nine strokes. “It wasn’t the best, but a lot of positives,” was how Robinson summed up his performance.

“It was good to knock off a little bit of the rust and get back in the swing of things.

“I have some things to clean up between now and next week, but I’m sure if I can do that, I will be able to contend and to compete and definitely have a better showing.”

Robinson, who used veteran golfer Jimmy Delancy as his caddie, admitted that it wasn’t the best of his putting game on display.

“I hit a couple of balls out of play and that prompted the bigger numbers on the scorecard,” Robinson said. “But it was a very fine line to where I finished and where I needed to be to play very well. So I’m very disappointed and I’m also very hopeful.”

With a few exemptions in the field in Exuma, Robinson said they will have to play much better than him in order to earn the rights to travel to Abaco.

He will automatically make the trip as the champion of the Bahamas Professional Golfers Association’s dual tournament played in December at the Ocean Golf Club on Paradise Island.

“I intend to contend a lot better. You put together a game plan leading into tournaments like this and you test it out to see if it works,” he said. “For me, a lot of it worked to game plan, so I’m in a position where I get two cracks at it.

“If I revise my game plan and stick it for next week, then I could expect a much better finish.”

With a few days to make the necessary adjustments from one tournament to the next, Robinson said he will be working on a lot of what he did prior to playing in Exuma so that he can be better prepared for Abaco.

“I’m going to be working on the same things I did before this tournament and studying the golf course,” said Robinson, who only played in Exuma last year.

“I don’t plan on changing too much.

“There’s a fine line to where I finished this week and what I need to do to contend.

“You’re playing against some of the best in the world. There’s not much separation from players like Tiger Woods and Rory Mcllroy, so to have a conversation about what I need to do to compete with these and not have a real conversation says a lot about my game and where I see myself.”

While he was joined by Cameron Riley last year, who qualified to play in Abaco, Robinson said it’s always an honour to represent the country and even to do it in the tournaments.

“We’re a small nation playing on the international stage and so it’s a proud feeling,” he said. “It’s even more proud when you see every face on the property on the island and you know they are rooting for you because you can feel the love and the support, it means the world to me.”

Robinson said he’s even more delighted to have an experienced caddie in Delancy, who guided him along the way for the two days of competition.

However, he said that could change in Abaco as Delancy may not be available. “He was really good this week. If I can get him through to Abaco, it would be good, but I may have to get a fresher set of legs,” Robinson said.

With his participation in the tournament falling squarely on him financially, Robinson said if feasible, he would like to engage the services of Riley, who played in Abaco last year and is quite aware of the course.

“It’s finding the financial support to get someone like him down here with me,” Robinson said. “If money wasn’t an issue, I would like to get that done. I think we would make a really good team for that event.

“But that’s up to the people that I speak to, if we can get a sponsor or donor money to make stuff like that happen.

“You are doubling the expenses when you have to do something like that. But I’m hoping the people around me will be able to make it happen.”

Robinson said he’s just looking forward to making a better showing in Abaco with whoever he gets to caddie for him. It’s on to the Great Abaco Classic.