Persaud, Fazil, Reis star in Scotiabank’s 21st Annual Golf Tourney

Reigning Guyana Open Golf Champion Avinash Persaud once again convincingly demonstrated his skill when he emerged first in the Championship Flight of the Scotiabank Annual Golf Tourney on Saturday, September 22.

As Scotiabank celebrates its 50th anniversary in Guyana this year (the first branch was opened in 1968), it is hosting its 21st annual tournament at the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC). This grand tournament is one of the highlights at the LGC every year!
In the A or Championship Flight, the top two were Persaud (69/2) and Kassim Khan (70/8). But the threat from LGC President Aleem Hussain (72/9), with Kevin Dinanauth (73/3), and Munaf Arjune (74/8), indicating that Persaud will have his work cut out come early November.
In the B Flight, the winners were: first – Fazil Haniff (69/15) and second – Roy Cummings (70/13). However, positive challenges were offered from Joaan Deo (71/16); Patrick Prashad (73/10); Hilbert Shields (73/16); and Kalyan Tiwari (74/14).
In the C Flight, winners were: Clifford Reis (73/26) and Guillermo Escarraga (76/21). The others in the Flight were outpaced and the nearest contenders were bunched in the 80s with Robert Hanoman (80/28); Maurice Solomon (81/23); Mark Lashley (82/24); Videsh Persaud (85/29) and Rohan Albert (86/24).
Prizes were also awarded for the Nearest to The Pin, the Best Gross or Gross Champion, and the Best Net or overall Net Champion. Haniff won the Nearest to The Pin prize. Persaud was the clear winner of the Best Gross with a total of 71.  For the overall Best Net, ties between Persaud and Haniff had to be resolved down to the last three holes each played. (If two players tie on their play after 18 holes, then the better score of the last nine holes determines the winner; if they are still tied, then the better score of the last six holes determine the winner; and if they are still tied, then the better score of the last three holes determines the winner.
Days prior to the tournament, in announcing his support for the event, Scotiabank Country Manager Raymond Smith had indicated that during this 50th anniversary year Scotiabank planned to introduce the next generation of ABMs called IBMs or Intelligent Banking Machines, as well as introduce additional online solutions that would enhance customers’ ability to transfer funds to third parties from the convenience of their laptop, tablet or smartphone.

At the prize-giving ceremony after the tournament, Scotiabank Robb St Branch Manager Nafeeza Gafoor noted that she was so pleased about the tournament and the ambience that she could see herself soon becoming one of the new members of the Golf Club! The Bank will continue to support the LGC as it continues its quest for excellence in the years ahead, she added.
As usual now, with the hype building up for the International Guyana Open of November 4 and 5, 2018, and with many golfers aiming to dethrone Persaud, (now reigning for four years), the competition was keen with many golfers putting their best effort into honing their skills. Net scores in the three Flights have been getting consistently good as evidenced from this tournament.
A very encouraging, exciting and fantastic feature of the day’s activities was the launching of the Putting Contest, in which members of the public are given an opportunity to make a putt, which would be rewarded with a ticket granting certain privileges for the Guyana Open 2018.