Junior golfers shine at national championships

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 13 October 2016

Holly McLean reacts after a putt.

Some of the island’s best young golfers gave their best last weekend as they competed in the 2016 Cayman Islands Golf Association Junior Amateur Championship sponsored by Highwater.

Jarvis hit the driver well.

After two days of competition, 17 year-old Andrew Jarvis beat his younger brother and defending champion, Aaron Jarvis, into second place in the blue tee 36-hole boys competition at the North Sound Golf Club. The elder Jarvis finished with a two-day today of 141, bettering his first round 71 with a 70 in the second round.

Aaron Jarvis was third after the opening round on Saturday, trailing Justin Hastings by a stroke (74 to 73) but improved his showing the next day with 72 for a 36-hole total of 146. Hastings finished two strokes back with a total of 148, after shooting 75 on Sunday.

A highlight of the day was when Andrew Jarvis eagled the par-4 310-yard number 10 hole. “I put my drive on the green and then made the putt for eagle and that was kind of the turnaround for me,” he said in an interview with CaymanSportsBuzz.com.

Jarvis won the tournament in his last year of eligibility.

Meantime, Aaron Jarvis was proud of his big brother’s performance. “Since I won it last year, I knew it was his time this year because he played well the past two days,” he said. “He’s not playing next year, so maybe I can win it again then but it should be good competition with Justin.”

Andy Hastings won the white tee 36-hole event for boys, 10 strokes ahead of Tom Dickens. Hastings shot 168 through two days, 86 and 82, compared to Dickens’ 178 (93 and 85). James Bould was third with 185.

Holly McLean, 11, easily won the girls’ red tee 36-hole championship with a career best 170, shooting 85 on Saturday and equaling the mark again on Sunday. She was well ahead of Lauren Needham and Tabitha Hawkins, who finished second and third respectively.

Holly McLean was dominant on the course.

“I was pleased with how I played,” McLean told CaymanSportsBuzz.com shortly before receiving her awards. When asked about what was the strongest element of her game, she replied: “I would say my drives because they got me on the greens in regulation.”

Junior golfers enjoyed themselves in the bright sunshine.

Danny Lyne, 8, shot 38 to finish three strokes ahead of James Rees to win the boys nine-hole championship. Beth Walton shot 54 to win the girls nine-hole competition.

“It was hard. The greens are really fast and the course is in good condition,” he said of the conditions. “I was doing really well and hitting fairways,” Lyne added, explaining that his drives were the stronger part of his game.

Other prizes for special contests were awarded:

Closest to the pin #13 (All Girls) – Holly McLean

Closest to the pin #5 (Girls and Boys 9-hole) – Ben Croucher

Closest to the pin #9 (36-hole Boys white tees) – Andrew Hastings

Closest to the pin #13 (36-hole Boys blue tees) – Joe Purton

Longest Drive #2 (Boys 9-hole red tee) – Danny Lyne

Longest Drive # 4 (All Girls Long Drive) – Holly McLean

Longest Drive #12 (36-hole Boys blue tees) – Andrew Jarvis

Longest Drive #18 (36-hole Boys white tees) – Tom Dickens