Rocco Lopez tops Jamaica's 18 and Under junior golf trials at Caymanas

By Sports Desk March 15, 2023
Rocco Lopez was head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Rocco Lopez was head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Contributed

Rocco Lopez delivered three solid days of golf at the Caymanas Golf Club in St. Catherine to emerge atop a Boys 18 and Under group of eight players invited to the national trials for the upcoming Caribbean Junior Amateur Golf Championships scheduled for July 3-8 in the Cayman Islands.

In challenging conditions, Lopez carded two-over-par 74 on opening day, 72, and a one-over 73 on the final day of the trials, for a combined score of 219.

He was the only one to score par with Ryan Lue coming closest when he posted 73 in the second round. Notably, Aman Dhiman was the only golfer other than Lopez, to score in the 70s on all three days. He scored 74 to be joint leader with Lopez on the first day and went on to score 78 and 79 on the second and third day, respectively, to take the runner up spot in the trials.

"Conditions were tough. It was dry, windy, hot but I managed to make fun out of it and I had a good time," Lopez said after achieving victory.

Lue, who was two strokes behind Dhiman, placed third after ending the trials on 15 over par 231, with daily scores of 82, 73 and 76. Trey Williams was fourth spot with scores of 88, 78 and 79.

Noah Azan and Tenny Davis were joint fifth with identical three-day combined scores of 247 each.

According to Alison Reid, the convener for junior golf, the tournament is not the end of preparation. “Everybody goes on practicing. Now it’s even more important because now you have to sharpen up what you have been doing because we want to take the best team to the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship so they have to keep practicing," she said, adding that she was satisfied with the level of play.

“There was solid golf. Some of them were a little disappointed and thought they could have done better but all in all I think it was good."

The selection committee will meet to select three players plus one reserve player for national duties in July.

The trials for Girls 18 and Under and Girls and Boys 15 and Under and 13 and Under age groups are scheduled for March 24-26 at the Caymanas Golf Club.

 

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