Leighton Levy, Star Writer

Between 80 and 100 golfers are expected to tee off on Saturday, Feburary 1, for the 2014 renewal of the Heineken-sponsored Caribbean Association of Neurosurgeons (CANS) annual golf tournament at the Ironshore Golf and Country Club in Montego Bay. The tournament was launched at the CRU club on Lady Musgrave Road on Wednesday evening.

The tournament will be played over 18 holes and will be divided into three sections, said tournament director David Mais. There will be a section for professionals and two sections for amateurs.

biggest yet

Amateurs with 0-10 handicap will play stroke play, while those with handicaps 11 and above will play the Stableford format. Mais also suggested that this year's renewal could be the biggest yet.

"Pre-registration numbers indicate that there will be a large number of overseas participants with so far more than 60 being registered, including 16 or 17 pros," he said.

"Then there will be amateurs coming in for Jazz (Jazz and Blues Festival) and it looks like they will play, so it could be a record turnout."

Funds raised from the event, which is in its seventh year, are expected to benefit the neurological department at the University of the West Indies. The money raised will be used to buy surgical instruments. More than $500,000 raised during last year's tournament went towards the purchase of a radiolucent frame for spinal surgery.