Paradise Island, Bahamas – December 14, 2025 – When the sun shines upon the Ocean Club Golf Course, fewer places in the world can match its beauty. The warm Bahamian sun, the white sandy beaches, and the glistening water that surrounds this Tom Weiskopf-designed layout all make this an idyllic spot for an elite amateur golf tournament.

With a pair of PGA TOUR sponsor exemptions up for grabs, one could say that this is a little slice of heaven.

But things will change come Monday, when 30-to-40 mile-per-hour gusts will race across Paradise Island, challenging those that will tee it up during the first two rounds of the White Sands Bahamas Men’s Invitational.

“This should be a pretty good test with the wind picking up [on Monday],” said Kihei Akina, the BYU Freshman who is currently ranked 74^th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR).

“You have to keep your ball in front of you off the tee, and if you do, you’re going to do pretty well here. But there are some tee shots with trouble on both sides of the fairway, so just have to be sure the ball stays in front of you.”

The 72 players in this year’s field will play 36 holes on Monday, with 18 holes in the morning and 18 in the afternoon. The opening round kicks off with a 7:30 am ET shotgun. Then, immediately after the conclusion of Round One, the players will remain with their starting groups and start Round Two. Players will begin Round Two on the same hole they did earlier in the day.

The final 18 holes of this 54-hole competition will take place on Tuesday, as this tournament serves as a perfect tune-up for collegiate players who are amid their semester breaks. 

“I put in some good work over the off season after my fall season ended,” said Connor Williams, the 24^th ranked player in WAGR.

“I’m hopeful for this tournament, though. I am feeling confident and having a great time.”

In addition to working on his game and getting tournament reps in ideal weather, Williams, and others for that matter, are having the time of their lives on Paradise Island.

“I’m just glad to be here in the Bahamas. The views out here are incredible, but so are the amenities, the hospitality, the food, and the resort,” added Williams, who is a junior at Arizona State.

“One of the guys I played with today, on hole 17, he took his shoes off when he got in the water. So, he’s enjoying it more than I am. I thought I was enjoying myself, but he clearly is. This course is great.”

This tournament features 19 amateurs ranked among the top 100 in WAGR. Thirteen different countries are represented, including three players from The Bahamas. The winner and runner-up from this tournament receive PGA TOUR sponsor exemptions into either the Puerto Rico Open or the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic.

Starting groups for the first two rounds on Monday can be found here.

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