The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama is back on the golfing map again with the launching of the first Mychal “Sweet Bells” Thompson/Fred Higgs Golf Challenge at the Reef Golf Course next week.

The Ministry of Tourism and the Bahamas Golf Federation (BGF) are hosting the event, on July 21-22, in honour of Bahamian NBA star Mychal Thompson and Bahamian golf legend the late Fred Higgs.

The tournament will feature 60 golfers - 20 basketball players, 20 golfers and 20 company executives. It will be played in a scrambled format with each team consisting of one golfer, one basketball player and one company executive. Mr Thompson will be among the competitors.

The event kicks off with a cocktail reception at the Grand Lucayan Resort and funds raised will go towards the establishment of the Mychal Thompson Foundation, the BGF and the Fred Higgs Scholarship Fund.

Betty Bethel, Ministry of Tourism director, said the ministry is pleased to be a partner in the golf challenge, which will bring recognition to two outstanding Bahamian sports legends.

“We are really delighted that we can welcome our very own to come to Grand Bahama and play in the golf challenge. We are looking to bring GB back to the point where it is known again for its golf prominence as it once was. So we are hoping that this will be an annual event, and will be the event that will jump start this destination as the golf destination of the Bahamas.”

Ms Bethel said sports tourism is a $600 billion business and the ministry is placing much emphasis in this area because they see it as a vehicle to drive business to the islands of the Bahamas.

Craig Flowers, the BGF president, said Fred Higgs has left a proud legacy in golf. He said proceeds from the event will go towards establishing the Fred Higgs Scholarship Fund to assist junior golfers to attend college.

Fred Sturrup, BGF’s consultant, said they came up with the Mychal Thompson/Fred Higgs Golf Classic about two and-a-half months ago.

“I called him (Mychal) and he jumped at the idea of being involved with anything that is tangible with him widening this legacy, in terms of assisting the development of young boys and girls in the entire Bahamas, and he threw around the idea of a foundation,” he said.

Mr Sturrup said that Mr Thompson has chosen to base the foundation in Grand Bahama. “He wanted it based in GB because it is the central area for the northern Bahamas and it would feed off into some of the Family Islands. The kids from New Providence are welcomed to be registered, but we just felt that there was this great need to have a greater emphasis on the Family Islands.”

The foundation will also focus on education development. “We have already brought onboard an education consultant who is mapping out a template to marry the educational concept with the athletic development for young boys and girls in the Family Islands and the entire Bahamas,” Mr Sturrup said.