Seventeen-year old Joaan Deo started playing golf just over eight months ago and already she has been on the podium twice and a lot is expected from this young Lusignan resident.
Lusignan village on the East Coast of Demerara is the home of Guyana’s premier golf Club and many villagers have over the years assisted in the upkeep of the Club, serving in many capacities including caddies and ground staff. Some have even gone on to play golf and make a name for themselves.
Joaan has come from such a background; being born into a golfing family, she has been around the Lusignan Golf Course from a tender age.
Her father Chatterpaul Deo introduced her to golf earlier this year and Joaan now seems set to be a new star of the horizon.
“I have four uncles who are regular players two from my father’s side and two from my mother’s side. My father recently encouraged me to play the game and I am happy to be playing the golf,” said Joaan, a student of the University of Guyana.
The young golfer who is majoring in Biology at UG is a bit worried about her studies and participating in golf on a regular basis. “I am looking forward to competing in the Guyana Open next month but it will be tough on my studies.”
Joaan finished second in last weekend’s Neal and Massy sponsored tournament losing on a count back to Cleveland Mentore who both finished on 40 points.
“I played well today (last Saturday) scoring 40 points but I lost on a count back, I have a slight advantage playing with a 36-handicap,” the young golfer mused. She also placed second in the GBTI sponsored tournament three weeks ago, beating Mike Mangal into second place on a countback after they had both ended with a net 70.
Joaan said she has received tremendous encouragement from the experienced golfers and she looks forward to the challenges ahead.
The Lusignan Golf Course has seen an influx of young players in recent times, among them 2006 Ladies champion Christine Suhkram, Cleveland Mentore and Ian Gouveia, laying a solid foundation for the future of golf in Guyana.
In addition, the Club in collaboration with Banks DIH Ltd. successfully conducted a Junior Development Programme run by a Trinidad professional with over 25 youngsters in attendance during the August school holidays.
Some of the future stars will be in action in the fund-raising Greensome tournament, during which several novelty events will be played off.