Newnham takes three-shot lead

UNIVERSITY of Mississippi player Jonathan Newnham yesterday conquered the par threes, which had stumped him on Saturday, to grab a three-shot lead over homeboy Delroy Johnson on the second day of the Jamaica National Amateur Golf Championship at Sandals Golf and Country Club.

Newnham, last year's runner-up to Ian Facey, scored 67, four under par, moving his tally to 141 after 36 holes - one under, with 18 holes left to decide the championship today at the Upton, St Ann, course.

His turnaround on the five par threes, after bogeying each on Saturday, propelled Newnham past joint first-day leaders Johnson and Sean Morris.

It was a rough day for Morris, who double-bogeyed the second and third holes to end the round on 78, seven over, after he and Johnson had parred the course on Saturday.

HOME-COURSE ADVANTAGE

Newnham, meanwhile, plans to "go out there and execute" today to stave off Johnson, who said he would be depending on home-course advantage to reel in the leader.

"I improved by six shots on the par threes. That was key," Newnham said after parring four of the holes and scoring a birdie on the other yesterday.

Newnham is hoping today's final 18 holes won't be deja vu. Last year at Caymanas, he led for the first two days, lost the lead on the third, and went down by two shots to Facey on the fourth day - the third time he was finishing second at the national amateurs.

Johnson, lurking three shots behind Newnham on 144 after scoring 73 yesterday, said his short game let him down.

"I only had two birdies - 12 and 17. Maybe I was playing a little too relaxed, knowing there's a third day tomorrow. I didn't want to take it all on today. There's still tomorrow to come," he said.

Another Sandals player, Zandre Roye, sits third on the leaderboard on 147, one ahead of Jonathan's father, Mark, on 148. Morris is locked with Oshae Haye in fourth place on 149.