Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 30/Nov 19:22

Latapy excited as charity golf achieves goals

 VIDIA RAMPHAL THE inaugural edition of the Russell Latapy Education and Sports Foundation Charity Golf Tournament made a strong debut on the local golf calendar on November 29 at Millennium Lakes Golf Course, Trincity. The tournament drew a diverse group of former national athletes, medical professionals, business leaders, and recreational golfers, all teeing off not only for competition, but for a cause tied to youth development. At the end of the day, the first champions emerged: Ahamad Ali and Dr Aroon Narayansingh, who posted a winning score of 63.65. Former national footballer Trent Noel and Clinton Brewster (64.25) were second, with Sheriff Babwah and Dr Nigel Lum Hee (65.75) coming in third. National player Jessel Mohammed, who teamed up with Neville Mohammed to take fourth spot, sank a hole-in-one on the fourth hole – his 10th career hole-in-one. For former national football star Russell Latapy, his main satisfaction came from the energy that outlined the tournament – fun on the fairways, fellowship among the groups, and a unified commitment to the Foundation’s mission. “I am happy to say that they seemed to have fun, which was my major concern, he told Newsday. “I think in terms of our golf today, everybody had a good day, whatever their result on the golf course was, and again, it's for a good cause.” The cause – supporting educational and sporting opportunities for young people – is at the heart of the Foundation’s work. The tournament served as a new fundraising pillar, complementing existing community programmes and youth initiatives. With the inaugural event now behind him, Latapy is now focused on building a stronger, more ambitious event in 2026. “We've had a couple of suggestions from everybody involved, golfers included. We are absolutely going to improve it and make it better every year,” he said. “The Little Magician” also stressed the importance of the people and organisations behind the event, particularly Shane Sagar and cricket legend Brian Lara, the management group of the newly-opened 277 restaurant in Trincity. Latapy also lavished praise on Lara, whom he described as “my friend and brother.” Lara partnered with Latapy on the course, and they finished eighth overall (on a countback) with a score of 67.00. Latapy said he leaned heavily on Lara’s prodigious putting ability. “I relied on Brian a lot of times for putting, which is my weak point,” he said, “He’s so good at it. I’m still learning from him.” Beyond the celebrities, the sentiments shared across the field echoed Latapy’s. Dr Aroon Naraynsingh, who lifted the top prize alongside Ahamad Ali, described the atmosphere as the hallmark of the day. “It is a fantastic feeling,” he said, “What mattered was the camaraderie that existed here. Of course, I enjoyed the result, but it was a fantastic day.” “I feel so honoured to be a part of this because Russell is such a gentleman,” Naraynsingh said, “I feel very happy in my heart that this has happened.” Attention now shifts to shaping the 2026 edition, with organisers intent on refining everything from format to field size. While the golf delivered its share of the highlights, Latapy will be encouraged that the wider mission of his Foundation appears to have found a firm footing on its opening outing. Results: 1. Ahamad Ali and Dr Aroon Naraynsingh – 63.65 2. Trent Noel and Clinton Brewster – 64.25 3. Sheriff Babwah and Dr Nigel Lum Hee – 65.75 4. Jessell Mohammed and Neville Mohammed – 66.25 5. Dane John and Terrance Coward – 66.60 6. Rodney Phillip and Nicholas Wood-Salamon – 66.65 7. Wayne Baptiste and Newman George – 67.00 8. Brian Lara and Russell Latapy – 67.00 (CB) 9. Jude Agostini and Marcus Jagdeo – 67.50 10. Jaleel Baksh and Ryan Lue-Chin – 68.90 The post Latapy excited as charity golf achieves goals appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.