'Loss of Tristan Brown was tough to overcome'

Jamaica's coach, Jason Lopez, believes that the injury to Tristan Brown, just a day before the start of the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship, severely dented Jamaica's chances at the three-day tournament.

Lopez said that Brown's presence could have tilted the tournament in the local team's favour after they finished second by seven points to defending champions Puerto Rico at the Caymanas Golf and Country Club, yesterday.

Brown, one of Jamaica's top prospects in the Under-15 age group, broke his hand a day ahead of the tournament, and Lopez said that had he been able to play, Jamaica, 136, could have surpassed the 143 points Puerto Rico garnered to retain the championship.

"Disappointment is not what I am feeling. I am proud of the kids. We battled to the end. We were very close. A point or two in each category was the difference in that one position. But the loss of Tristan Brown in the Under-15 boys was very difficult, and that was tough to overcome," he said.

"But we had such amazing performances ... so I can't say I am disappointed ... it only gives me more motivation for next year," he added.

Hosts Jamaica captured two of the six individual events, with Justin Burrowes taking the boys' Under-18 title and Rocco Lopez topping the boys' 11-13 age group.

Puerto Rico's Valeria Pacheco won the girls' Under-18 while teammate Diego Saavedra and Cayman's Aaron Jarvis shared the boys' under-15 title. Barbados' Emily Odwin won the Under-15 girls event and Cayman Islands' Holly McLean took the Under-13 girls honours.

Burrowes completed the course with 223 strokes for a seven-over-par score, he finished ahead of Juan Delgado of the Dominican Republic, 227. Jamaica's Jack Stein was third with 228, while Sebert Walker Jr (234) ended in seventh and Luke Lindo (248), 14th.

In the female equivalent, Jamaica's Kei Harris finished with 230 but had to settle for second behind the impressive Pacheco, who had 226. Maria Sanchez of the Dominican Republic was third, with 239. Jamaica's Tiana Cruz was fourth with 243.

It was close among the Under-15 boys. Puerto Rico's Saavedra and the Cayman Islands' Jarvis finished tied on 221. Dominican Republic's Julio Rios (225) was third. Jamaica's Michael Lowe was sixth with 230, Radino Lobban 15th, with 266, and Luke Wright 17th with 274.

In the girls' Under-15, Odwin topped the charts with 235, ahead of the Dominican Republic's Yae Eun Kim (241). Bahamas' Ashley Michel and Trinidad's Yeji Lee (247) were tied for third. Jamaica's Eryn Blakely (255) was seventh, Evelyn Lai (298) 11th, and Justine McKenzie (328), 12th.

Jamaica's Lopez, who won the boys Under-13 with 230, had ended the first day one stroke behind Chris Richards but completed the course one stroke ahead of the Trinidadian. Puerto Rico's Kelvin Hernandez was third, with 236. The other Jamaicans, Matthew Grant (252) and Aman Dhiman (267), were eighth and 12th, respectively.

Cayman's Holly McLean (246) got the better of Jamaica's Emily Mayne (255) to win the girls' 11-13 section. Puerto Rico's Angelis Rivera and the Dominican Republic's Inyoung Yoo (263) shared third. Jamaica's Mattea Issa (284) was seventh and Winnie Lua (292) eighth.

Puerto Rico's coach, Eduardito Figueroa, said he enjoyed the competitiveness of the Jamaican team.

"It was tough. I loved the competition. It was great for Jamaica. They have a great team, but we pushed on to the end," he said.