Bermuda’s golfers will compete for a charitable cause at the sixth Knight’s Annual Golf Tournament.

Part proceeds from the event will be donated to Special Olympics Bermuda.

“We selected Special Olympics Bermuda as the charity this year so we really want to try to do something for them,” Richard Knight, the tournament founder and director, told The Royal Gazette.

“They are planning on taking some children away to compete in the Special Olympics, so I thought it was a good idea to try and help them out a little bit,” said Knight.

The Knight’s Annual Golf Tournament in a non-profit group whose mission statement is to bring together golfers of all levels to compete in an organised, friendly game of golf to help raise funds for local charities and recognise outstanding individuals in sport or community services.

To date, the group has raised more than $4,000 for local charities.

“Up until now we have done fairly well for charities,” Knight added. “We’ve made three donations to different charities.

“The first year we did Ocean View Junior Golf then we did Meals On Wheels. We were supposed to do big Brothers, Big Sisters, but that didn’t come off that year.”

The tournament will be held at Belmont Hills Golf Course on December 11 and will see participants compete in a two-man captain’s choice format.

A record field in excess of 60 golfers will compete in next month’s tournament, among them defending champions Keith Smith and son David Smith.

Smith, who has won the event three times with his son, including the inaugural tournament in 2015, will also be recognised for his enormous contribution to local golf.

“Keith has been a well respected competitor among local golfers and has also represented Bermuda in overseas tournaments,” Knight said.

“He is also the longest serving founding member of the Bermuda Professional Golfer’s Association, so I thought that he should be recognised for that. A lot of people don’t know that,” said Knight. “Kim Swan was the first one and then we had Gary Fray from Warwick Workmen’s Club and this year is Keith Smith.”

This year’s event has been scaled down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I was planning a much larger event this year because of my 75th birthday,” Knight added. “I was really excited to get this year off and with my birthday celebration make it more of a big event.

“Unfortunately this Covid-19 thing has really put a damper on it. We stuck to the plan right up to the last minute, which was like the beginning of this month when I made a final decision to just call off the event or just have the golf tournament.

“It’s just going to be the tournament at Belmont Hills and we will have the presentation after right there.”