NatWest Island Games Golf Team Announced
The Bermuda Golf Association [BGA] announced it has selected eight players to represent Bermuda at the 2015 NatWest Island Games to be contested from June 27-July 3 at the Royal Jersey and La Moye Golf Clubs in Jersey, Channel Islands.
The men’s team will include Jarryd Dillas, Will Haddrell, Damian Palanyandi and Mark Phillips, while the ladies team will consist of Ebonie Burgess, Katrin Burnie, Linda Down and Elizabeth Parsons. Jevon Roberts and Tracy Nash have been named as the reserve players for the men’s and ladies teams respectively.
Andrew Woodworth, the president of the BGA, believes both teams are well equipped to succeed at this year’s Games. “These players have shown on a consistent basis that they are some of the top amateur golfers on the island, and I’m confident they will do Bermuda proud and be great ambassadors for the island.”
At the 2013 Games in Bermuda, Dillas and Phillips, together with Roberts and Mitchell Campbell, won the men’s team event by a single shot over the Isle of Wight, with Dillas claiming an individual Silver medal. The ladies team event was won by Guernsey, with the local quartet of Burgess, Burnie, Parsons and Ann Symonds finishing in fifth place.
Bermuda has been a perennial medal winner at the Island Games in the sport of golf since first entering the biennial competition in 2005. In five previous appearances, the Bermuda men have won team Gold on three occasions [2007, 2009, 2013], and added a third place finish in 2005. The Bermuda ladies won team Gold back in 2009, earned runner-up honors in 2005, and finished third in 2007.
“We’ve had a number of standout performances at the Island Games over the years, so I know both teams are looking forward to the challenge of continuing that success in Jersey this summer,” added Woodworth. “The men’s team will be aiming to defend its Gold medal, while the ladies are keen to once again be contending for place on the podium at week’s end.”
The International Island Games were founded in the Isle of Man in 1985 and today include 24 member islands in, or associated with, the nine sovereign nations of Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK, plus the Caribbean. Since 1999 NatWest has been the title sponsor for the Island Games, which have become one of the largest international multi-sport events in the world, behind the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.
Well done Ebonie! Everyone at CP Athletic Development is proud of you!