Jamaica's young golfers recently completed their three-day trials at the Caymanas Golf Club where they performed well under challenging conditions.

The trials were geared towards selecting the team for this year's Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship which will also be held at the Caymanas Golf Club in early July of this year. 

Trey Williams led the boys while Mattea Issa led the girls with outstanding performances. Williams was the only golfer to post an under-par score with a two-under-par 70 on the final day. 

Williams faced six competitors in the Boys 18 and Under category. He posted eight over par 80, four over par 76 and two under par 70 for the three days respectively, for a combined total of 10 over par 226 which is his best placement in a local competition to date. 

"I feel really good about it. After the first day I was down by a good amount but I just kept my cool. I knew that I can play this course well and for the next two days I just made sure I played conservative and I gave it my all and it worked out" said Williams. 

He now looks forward to the championships.

"Seeing how the championship is at this very course and I know I can play well at this course I am going to continue to practice, make sure that my game is at the top that it can be and give it my all when the championship comes and make sure that I can do well." 

Aman Dhiman was second with scores of 72, 84 and 78 for a total score of 18 over par 234 while Ryan Lue was two strokes back on 236 (76, 83, 77). 

Issa, with scores of 81, 80 and 81 (242), said that the trials conditions were difficult. 

"To set the scene, the layout of the course was very difficult. Where they put the pins and where they put the tee boxes, they made the course as hard as possible for us kids to challenge us and then also the conditions of the course like the wind and the condition of the grass and the bunkers. That wasn't in the best condition so obviously it was unpredictable where the ball might go at certain times and the speed of the greens and things like that so you have to take that in consideration before analyzing the scores and analyzing the weekend." 

The other female competitor in the Girls 18 and Under category was Anoushka Katri. She scored 107, 99 and 94 for a three-day total of 300. 

Results in the other age groups were: Boys 15 and U - Kemari Morris - 256 (89, 81, 86), Davion Hogan 263 (85, 94, 84) and Cameron Coe 273 (92, 92, 89); Boys 13 and U - Shasa Redlefsen 245 (83, 82, 80) and Girls 13 and U - Alessandra Coe 266 (92, 88, 86). 

The team, when announced will under-go intense preparation by coach Jonathan Newnham who was himself a successful junior golfer, and coach Jason Lopez who has guided several junior teams to the CAJGC. 

Newnham was pleased with what he saw at the trials. "I feel good that everybody had enough good signs this week and we have a few months to prepare. We obviously will know the course very well by the time the champs come around so I am excited for this group and I think it's fair to say that within most if not all the categories we have a chance to do well individually, which if we do well individually that bodes well for the team championship as well." 

Lopez on the other hand was happy with the mix of players at the trials. "We have a nice new crop of guys and girls who are coming up. A lot of young players and exciting players and obviously developing players and you have some guys like Trey (Williams) who have been around for a while. I think overall the kids performed well. I think the conditions were tough which is always good to see the kids tested. Today was not an easier day because there was a lack of wind but we know that come the championship time in July it’s gonna be very windy so it's nice to see those conditions replicated. I think the kids handled it very well." 

According to Alison Reid, the convener for junior golf, the trials is "almost like a test run for the actual event because this is the course they are gonna play in the event and this is pressure condition because they are each trying to make the team so it’s like a mini tournament. It really puts them under the same amount of pressure."

The highly anticipated and renowned MCOBA-Lindy Delapenha Golf Classic, one of the biggest charity golf tournaments, is set to take place next weekend at the Caymanas Golf & Country Club. Organized by the Munro College Old Boys Association (MCOBA), this event serves as their primary fundraising initiative for the school.

Tournament Manager, Telroy Morgan, elaborated on the allocation of funds raised, emphasizing their impact within the school community. "This annual event commemorates the life and legacy of Lindy Delapenha, an exceptional schoolboy and legendary sportsman in Jamaica. Moreover, it provides us with an opportunity to raise funds that will greatly contribute to the educational, sports, and infrastructural development of Munro College," he stated.

Scheduled to commence on Saturday, July 15th at 8:00 a.m., the tournament will feature a "ShotGun Start," where all golfers will simultaneously tee off from the 18 tee-boxes spread across the golf course. The event will adopt the 7/8th handicap stableford format and offer a range of exciting prizes, including luxurious weekends for two at esteemed hotels on the island's north coast. Competitors will compete in various categories, namely Ladies, Men (up to 50), Men's Senior (50 - 60), and Men's Super Senior.

Nicole Touzalin, the Operating Principal of title sponsors Keller Williams Realty Jamaica, expressed her delight in supporting the event and highlighted the shared values between her company and Munro College. "We are privileged to be a part of this tournament as it perfectly aligns with our core values and vision. At KW, we understand the significance of giving back and strive to positively impact the lives of others. By supporting events like this, we aim to promote an active lifestyle, foster friendly competition, and create networking and connection opportunities," she explained. Touzalin further emphasized that Keller Williams Realty Jamaica's sponsorship represents their commitment to Munro College on behalf of their late founder, Rory Marsh, and the Marsh family.

Victor Tomlinson, President of MCOBA, anticipates the participation of Jamaica's top amateur golfers, both male and female, exceeding 80 participants. He also announced the return of the event highlights, including a luncheon and presentation ceremony following the competition.

Looking back at the 2022 edition, Diane Hudson emerged as the Overall Champion, becoming the first female winner. Regrettably, Hudson will not be available to defend her title this year.

The first-round of the three-day Jamaica Golf Association national junior golf trials took place at the Caymanas Golf Club on Friday.

Ten players in the Girls 18 & under, Boys and Girls 15 & under and Boys and Girls 13 & under age- groups began their journey for a place on Jamaica’s team to the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship in the Cayman Islands from July 3-8. The Boys 18 & under completed their trials two weeks ago. 

The scores from Friday's action showed some very competitive match-ups.

Emily Mayne and Mattea Issa both scored five over par 77 to be joint leaders in the Girls 18 and under category. They each posted two birdies and seven bogeys on the day. 

Aaron Ghosh and Davin Hogan scored 83 and 98 respectively in the Boys 15 and under age-group while Anoushka Khatri shot 89 and Samantha Azan shot 94 in their respective first-rounds in the Girls 15 & under age-group. 

The three players in the boys 13 & under category, Kemari Morris, Shasha Redfelsen and Cameron Coe, are closely tracking each other after round one with scores of 85, 89 and 91, respectively.

The lone representative in the girls 13 & under category is Alessandra Coe who scored 91 for her first round. 

Second round action begins with all golfers teeing off at 9:00 am on Saturday. 

More than 60 golfers teed-off at the Caymanas Golf Club in St Catherine for the first Jamaica Golf Association's (JGA) qualifier for 2023.

Tee-time was 7:30 am.

A special feature of this year's tournament is that the eight competitors in the Men & Men Senior 0-6 (WAGR) category will play 54 holes over the two days in a bid to gain world amateur golf ranking points.

The Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) got approval last year to play 54 holes over two days instead of the normal three days in order to gain ranking points from the R&A and the USGA (Royal & Ancient Golf Club, Unites States Golf Association).

This will allow them earn ranking points quickly and able to participate in more tournaments across the region and the world that are open to ranked golfers.

Two of the local golfers that have world golf ranking points are Justin Burrowes (347) and William Knibbs (741). Both were invited to play in this year's Latin America Amateur Golf Championships in January as the two highest ranked amateur golfers in Jamaica at the time.

In this weekend’s tournament Burrowes, who is the defending champion, expects to be tested by the format.

"I am looking forward to get going this weekend. I haven't played a 54-hole tournament in two days since this tournament last year so I am looking forward to the test,” he said.

“Expectation-wise I try to keep it very simple. I just want to go out and execute as best as possible and count the scores at the end.  It’s going to be long but I think it provides a good test and it will show me where my game is at and where I need to improve on.

“I feel like I have worked on some of the areas where I have been weak on in the last six months so I am looking forward to put that to the test in a tournament and we will see how that goes."

The other six golfers who will compete in the Men & Men Senior category are Sean Morris, Zandre Roye, Trey Williams, Tenny Davis, Robert Sterling and Wayne Chai-Chong.

Roye and Knibbs placed second and third, respectively, in last year's tournament.

The remainder of the golfers on the course will play 36 holes over the two days.

The will play in several categories including Men & Men Senior 0-6, Men & Men Senior 7-12, Men & Men Senior 13-24, Men Super Senior 0-12, Men Super Senior 13-24, Masters, Junior Boys 18 and Under, Junior Boys 14-15 and Junior Boys 11-13.

Jodie Mun-Barrow is the defending Ladies champion.