Jamaica want right attitude for Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship

A STRONG Jamaica team is set to represent the nation on home soil when the 36th staging of the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship (CAJGC) tees off on July 3 at the Caymanas golf course.

Eight national teams, including defending champions Puerto Rico, are set to battle it out, and Jamaica will be hoping that they can find the goods on familiar territory to lift their first team title.

The nation’s best finish at the CAJGC came in 2018 when they finished second at the same venue. They also finished second a year later in the Bahamas. However, team coach Jonathan Newnham, speaking at the championship launch on Thursday, says his team will need to be at their very best if they are to go one better this year.

“Our big non-negotiables this year which we stress in practice are attitude and effort. Not everybody is going to have their best game and we will have struggles, but we have to master attitude and effort, which will give us the best chance to win.”

Team captain Mattea Issa has been in scintillating form heading into the championship, and she is banking on local knowledge to give her and the team the edge over the three days.

“We know this course well and we have been practising and training hard. When the tournament comes, all we need to do is not get flustered or get nervous but have fun,” said Issa.

Those sentiments were shared by boys’ under-18 teammate Aman Dhiman, who will be making his last appearance for Jamaica at the junior level.

“Home course advantage is always good and knowing it like the back of your hand will give us the superior advantage and give us the best chance to win.”

This year, Barbados should have been the country to host the championship. However, their unavailability opened the door for Jamaica. Jamaica Golf Association President, Jodi Munn-Barrow, said the Caribbean Golf Association’s request for the country to take over hosting duties was an automatic ‘yes’.

“It was unexpected, but knowing the benefits of bringing the tournament to Jamaica for our junior programme, we thought it was the best thing to do,” said Munn-Barrow.

Jamaica are set to compete in the boys’ and girls’ under-13, under-15 and under-18 categories.

Insurance company, BCIC, sponsored the tournament to the tune of $2 million.