SPORTS SECTION E
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
VALDEZ AND 76ERS - E3
Miller retains title, Pratt clinches ladies’ crown By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubb@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Golf Federation president Lynford Miller retained his men’s title, while national high school champion Chemari Pratt clinched her first ladies' crown as the BGF concluded its National Amateur Golf Championships over the weekend. The event, sponsored by RF Bank & Trust and featuring a number of junior and senior amateur golfers in the country, wrapped up on Sunday. The rounds were played at the Albany, Ocean Club and Royal Blue golf courses. Miller, in repeating as champion, posted a threeday score of 215 with rounds of 71-73 and 72 to hold off the strong challenge from Alexander Dupuch, who shot 72-072-72-216. Nolan Johnson, with rounds of 73-77-74, rounded out the top three with 224. "It feels great," said Miller of his back-to-back feat. "Some called it luck, others called it fate." Whatever it was, Miller said he had an uphill battle
National Amateur Golf Championships played across three courses
against the rest of the field, nothing like what he encountered in claiming his first title last year. "Alex really made it tough," Miller said. "He was tied with me after the second day and going into the last day, we ended up playing in a playoff and I actually won it." While Miller and Dupuch went to the playoffs to determine the winner, there was a tie for fourth place at 225 with Aidan Gorospe (78-74-74) and Kerrington Rolle (76-72-78). Eric West was sixth with 227 (79-75-73) and former champion Richard Gibson Jr ended up seventh with 228 (79-71-78). Rounding out the top 10 were Horace Miller at eighth with 232 (79-82-71), Mike McAleer at No.9 with 234 (75-78-81) and Camdyn Forbes, 10th, with 236 (85-71-80).
On the ladies’ side, it was just as competitive as Pratt clinched the title with a total of 236 (84-71-75) to dethrone defending champion Maddison Carroll with 82-74-83 for 239 for second place. Arissa Robinson was third with 252 (90-85-87). Coming off winning her second national high school title, Pratt said she wanted to complete the double national feat and she accomplished her goal on her third time around. "This victory means alot to me, especially as I'm graduating this year," Pratt said. "In previous years, my focus was simply on playing my best, but this year I set a clear goal to win the tournament." "I committed my plans to God, trusted the process, and stayed disciplined throughout. When you fail to plan, plan to fail and I
AMATEUR golf champions Chemari Pratt and Lynford Miller are flanked by Gerhard Beukes, RF representative at left, Kirk Bowe, BGF board member from Grand Bahama and Gina Gonzalez-Rolle, BGF volunteer. approached this tournament with a strong strategy and the belief that I could come out on top. I give all the honour and glory to
God, because I couldn’t have done it without Him." Pratt admitted that the competition was tough. "After the first two days,
I was in second place, and heading into the final round, I was five strokes behind,"
GOLF - SEE Page E4
Ayton leads with double double but Rockets rout Lakers 115-96 to stave off elimination
Deandre has 19 points and 10 rebounds, ejected with about 5½ HOUSTON (AP) — minutes left in 3rd quarter after receiving flagrant foul 2
By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer
LAKERS centre Deandre Ayton has the ball knocked away by Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) and forward Jabari Smith Jr, right, looks on during the second half of Game 3 in a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series Friday April 24, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Amen Thompson scored 23 points, Tari Eason added 20 and the Houston Rockets avoided elimination with a 115-96 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference playoff series Sunday night. Game 5 is Wednesday night in Los Angeles. The Rockets got their first win in the series after falling into an 0-3 hole despite missing Kevin Durant for a third game thanks to a balanced scoring attack. Durant sat out a second straight game with a sprained left ankle after missing Game 1 with a bruised right knee. Houston’s entire starting lineup
scored at least 16 points with Alperen Sengun adding 19, Reed Sheppard 17 and Jabari Smith Jr. 16. The Lakers were led by Deandre Ayton, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds before being ejected with about 5½ minutes left in the third quarter for a flagrant foul 2 on a hit to Sengun’s head. His output wasn’t nearly enough to allow the Lakers to close the series out on a night when LeBron James didn’t have his best game. He had 10 points on 2-of-9 shooting with nine assists and eight turnovers before sitting with about 7½ minutes to
go after scoring 19, 28 and 29 points in the first three games. But he wasn’t the only Laker who struggled. Los Angeles made just five 3-pointers after combining for 35 through the first three games. James was 0 for 3 from long range, Marcus Smart missed both of his attempts and Luke Kennard was 0 for 3. Houston looked good from the start in this one after squandering a sixpoint lead in the final 26 seconds of regulation in a devastating 112-108 overtime loss Friday night. The Rockets led by nine at
halftime and used a 12-4 run to start the third and make it 68-51 with about 8½ minutes to go in the quarter. Sheppard had two 3-pointers in that stretch and Thompson added four points. The Rockets led by 19 later in the quarter before going on a 9-3 run to end the quarter and push the lead to 90-65 entering the fourth. Houston led by 23 with about 7½ minutes remaining when coach JJ Redick cleared the Lakers' bench.
NBA - SEE Page E4
‘Golden Girl’ Pauline Davis has her drinks trademarked By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net GOLDEN Girl Pauline Davis can now rest comfortably knowing that she finally has her smoothie and lemonade drinks trademarked. The Intellectual Property Office in the Ministry of Legal Affairs, in conjunction with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, hosted a press conference yesterday to make the official announcement. Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg, Ministry of Legal Affairs’ permanent secretary Sonia Culmer and Camille Gomez-Jones of the Registrar General participated in the ceremony. Among those in attendance were “Golden Girl” Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and a number of students, from various
schools, who participated in the 2026 World Intellectual Property Day Expo under the theme "IP and Sports." While World IP Day was on Sunday, GomezJones said they decided to celebrate it yesterday as they bring the community together and the best way was to do it through sports, highlighting the achievements of so many of the athletes who represented The Bahamas on the International stage. "We honoured Pauline Davis as our champion," Gomez-Jones said. Bowleg said he was delighted to be a part of the forum that was giving some of the students the importance of the IP law that was recently passed. "We want them to understand what they can and can't do as it pertains to local sports and professional sports," Bowleg pointed out. "We want to
encourage young persons and Bahamians in general to protect their assets by recording their properties." He noted that Davis was singled out because of the strides she has made in producing her drinks and she went on to put in her application to have it trademarked. As the country's premier female athlete, Bowleg said she's getting some of the recognition that she deserves. He noted that it should be an encouragement to all of the athletes who follow her. Bowleg, along with Gomez-Jones and Culmer, made the presentation to Davis as she was presented with an achievement award and two registered trademarks of her choice. In selecting the green smoothie and running sideways lemonades, Davis said she's pleased to get the support she needs for her
products, which also include guava ginger, mango lemonade, soursop mango and tamarind mango. "I've been so emotional about it," said Davis, who was supported by her longtime coach and mentor Neville Wisdom. "When I found out about it, I was very emotional and thankful because I don't get too many things. "This is way up there now. It gives me the opportunity to now sell my drinks overseas and do other things with it. I'm so thankful to the Registrar for her insight and doing what she did for me. There's no street or stadium named after me, so I'm happy to get this recognition." Wisdom, now retired, has not only worked with Davis-Thompson, but three other Golden Girls, including Eldece Clarke, Sevatheda Fynes and Chandra Sturrup, and he said it's
PAULINE Davis is flanked by her auntie Patsy Roker. coach Neville Wisdom amd auntie Beverly Davis. time that Davis gets some of the accolades that she so rightfully deserves. "The country, in those days and even today, is full of unchecked talent," said Wisdom, a former minister of youth, sports and culture. "My belief has always been that the talent of the country comes from the bowels of the country. "Pauline comes from an area that was challenged
and even today, with all that she has done, she has not been significantly recognised. Pauline Davis is the only double Olympic gold medallist in the country who is not a Dame." Wisdom said that while he's grateful that she's getting her products trademarked, the time is now for Davis to get the proper
PAULINE - SEE Page E4