The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

RICHARD Gibson Jr and Nolan Johnson combined for a net score of 61 to win the inaugural Samuel and James Gardiner Scholarship Golf Tournament at Royal Blue Golf Course over the weekend.

The pair finished one stroke ahead of Francis Adderley and Creswell Gardiner, who placed second with a net 62, while Ozzie Moore and Sterling Quant finished third with a net 63 in the low scramble pair competition.

Peter McIntosh and Kyshna Radnetter, along with Antoine Roberts and Lawerance Glinton, tied for fourth place with net scores of 67. Christopher Godet and Driskell Rolle finished sixth with a net 68. Francis Adderley received the longest drive award, while Sterling Quant won the closest to the pin competition.

The tournament, organised by the Silver Lightning Athletic Club, was held in honour of brothers Samuel and James Gardiner as a scholarship fundraising initiative aimed at supporting educational opportunities for young Bahamians.

Rupert Gardiner, president of the Silver Lightning Athletic Club and younger brother of Samuel and James Gardiner, said the event was established to honour his brothers’ names while giving back to the community through education. Both men were educators who loved playing golf.

He said the club wanted to establish a scholarship initiative in their honour, using the tournament to raise funds to support young people pursuing their education.

Gardiner acknowledged that participation fell short of the organisers’ expectations, with 16 teams competing instead of the 30 to 40 they had hoped to attract.

Despite the lower turnout, he said the competition was enjoyable and expressed optimism that more teams would participate in future editions.Tournament director and the club's general secretary Kim Hanna said the close scores at the top of the leaderboard reflected the quality of the competition. “The competition was definitely stiff,” Hanna said.

Richard Gibson Jr and Nolan Johnson finished with 61, followed by Francis Adderley and Creswell Gardiner on 62 and Ozzie Moore and Sterling Quant on 63. The two lowest finishing teams were separated by just one stroke, while only two strokes separated the top three.

Rain and storms across parts of the island also affected participation, according to Hanna, who said several golfers who had committed to the event did not attend.

“The east was storming, but out west was not as bad,” she said. “I think because of that, a lot of persons who had committed to attend actually didn’t attend.”

Despite the smaller field, Hanna said the organisers were encouraged by the event and were already planning improvements for the second edition.

“Even though it was small, it was a great success,” she said.

Hanna said the club would look to strengthen its offering to competitors, including improving the prizes available next year.

“To be honest, we offered great prizes, so we are going to look at even better prizes for next year,” she said.

Organisers also intend to expand the programme with the introduction of a Bahamas Collegiate Golf Tournament, expected to take place two days before the Samuel and James Gardiner Scholarship Golf Tournament in October 2027.

Hanna said four teams had already committed to the collegiate event, which is expected to attract additional players and visitors to the country.

She added that the event could encourage parents and coaches to travel to The Bahamas, with some potentially staying to participate in the scholarship tournament.

The club’s wider mission remains centred on creating educational opportunities for young Bahamians.

Hanna said proceeds from its activities would be directed towards scholarships for students pursuing education at the high school and college levels.

“Our club is an athletic club that believes in scholarship opportunities,” Hanna said. “Whatever funds that we acquire, we ensure that the kids and the youths get scholarship opportunities, whether it is in high school or college.”

She said financial pressures on families made these opportunities particularly important.

“Times are tough for a lot of parents, so we take that opportunity to give back to our youth,” she said.

Young golfers also benefited from the opportunity to participate in the tournament, including those who cannot regularly afford access to a golf course.

Hanna said giving them the chance to compete was an important part of the event’s community focus. He thanked the sponsors and participants who supported the inaugural tournament, singling out IHOP for providing breakfast and the Royal Blue Golf Course team for facilitating the event.

She encouraged businesses and individuals to support the club’s scholarship efforts as preparations begin for next year’s events.

The club plans to launch promotional campaigns ahead of October 2027, with flyers and other marketing efforts providing details about participation and sponsorship opportunities.

Interested persons can contact the Silver Lightning Athletic Club - silverlightning242@gmail.com - for more information.