Reigning Male and Female champs Avinash Persaud and Joaan Deo said they’ve been pushing in a lot of practice to ensure they reclaim their titles in the 2017 Guyana Open Golf Cup tournament set for November 4 and 5 at the Lusignan Golf Course East Coast Demerara.
Persaud, a seven-time Cup winner said during Thursday’s launching at the Marriott International Hotel that he was not doing anything special but rather he was focusing more on just rehearsing his skills which has turned him into the top guy to beat come next weekend.
Speaking on his training regimes leading up to the tournament, Persaud said, “My strategy is just to keep on practicing and doing what I’ve been doing all the time and that’s to go out and do my best, keep the championship alive and keep the title in Guyana.”
Winners all the way; from left: Avindra Kishore, Christine Sookram, Guyana Cup defending champs Avinash Persaud and Joaan Deo at the launch on Thursday
With competition coming from not only around Guyana, but other parts of the world, Persaud who is the head grounds-man at Lusignan, is aware that the competition will be gunning for his crown. To make things even harder for the champ, his younger brother Avinda Kishore will be looking to wrest the title from his sibling.
Kishore, who shot to popularity during the 2013 Guyana Cup after dethroning his brother to claim the title, said he was eager to compete not only against the vast number of golfers but also his brother. “My strategy is just to focus, I don’t need any practice, I just need to focus as long as I’m focused I’ll take home everything,” said a humorous Kishore.
While the brothers shared their views on what could possibly be the outcome at the end of the Cup, the ladies; Christina Sookram and Deo also got verbally involved as they outlined their plans heading into the tourney.
Sookram, a former champ and touted as the best female golfer in Guyana over the last six years, said she plans to bring her A-game to the fairways, adding that due to a few changes in the rules over the year has made it a bit difficult for her.
“Since the past two years they have decided to change the format so it’s been very challenging for me, so I guess I have to step up more, its tough but I’m positive so I think this year I’ll go out and do my best,” said Sookram.
As for Deo, she too echoed similar views as that of Persaud who stressed on the importance of being a champion and practicing hard in order to keep on top of one’s game. “First of all I would like to say practice is a must, so in terms of the strategy to defend my title this year it all takes practice. The past couple weeks I’ve been going to the golf course and basically putting chipping and playing around a few holes.”
“Golf is a mental game so you need to also have a good mental standpoint. Coming in this year to defend my title has a lot of pros and cons to it, because you have the advantage of coming in as champ and that comes with a lot of pressure in defending it, but I think we’re all very prepared,” ended Deo.
The two-day event sponsored by Ganesh Spare Parts and endorsed by the Ministry of Social Cohesion with responsibility to Sport, is set for November 4 and 5 at the Lusignan Golf Course.
