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Mixed fortune for Ja pair on day one of LAAC

Published:Friday | January 13, 2023 | 1:02 AMLennox Aldred/Gleaner Writer
William Knibbs of Jamaica plays his stroke from the No. 13 tee during Round One of the 2023 Latin America Amateur Championship being played at the Grand Reserve Golf Club in Puerto Rico on Thursday, January 12, 2023.
Photograph by LAAC
William Knibbs of Jamaica plays his stroke from the No. 13 tee during Round One of the 2023 Latin America Amateur Championship being played at the Grand Reserve Golf Club in Puerto Rico on Thursday, January 12, 2023.

On an opening day where 27 golfers chalked up red numbers, the Jamaican pair of William Knibbs and Justin Burrowes had mixed results following the first round of the par 72 Latin America Amateur Golf Championship (LAAC) being played in Puerto Rico.

Knibbs’ opening round one par 73 is his best-ever score at the LAAC which sees him tied for 47th place in the 108-man field. Teammate Justin Burrowes had a topsy-turvy round after carding a five over par 77 to be tied for 84th place and in danger of not making the final cut.

In near-perfect conditions at the grand reserve golf club, Knibbs opened the round with a birdie on the par five 11th hole before a bogey on the 18th hole pulled him level making the turn.

Bogeys on the par three-second hole and the par four fifth hole saw Knibbs go to two over, but a birdie on the sixth and three straight pars to close saw the Jamaican ending the round just one shot over.

“The conditions were nice and they weren’t too difficult. There were scores out there to be made and I gave myself a couple of good opportunities by making some birdies and missing a few, but the main thing is that I didn’t get into much trouble,” Knibbs said.

Another good round could see Knibbs making the cut for the first time in three attempts at the LAAC.

EARLY TEE TIME

“I am hoping that the early tee time will mean that there will be less wind so that I can put a really good round together,” added Knibbs.

Burrowes on the other hand will need to shoot an almost perfect round if he is to get back in the mix following his opening round of five over par.

Three birdies and two bogeys to start wasn’t bad for the diminutive Burrowes, who then went downhill on the back nine with a double bogey and four bogeys to close out the round.

“The opening day was a bit interesting. I guess you could say after starting off well, but then I kind of hit a wall mentally on the back nine. I still feel I have a game there and I am not totally out of it,” said Burrowes.

Colombia’s Mateo Fuenmajor leads the championship following his six-under-par round of 66.