Jamaica squeaked past Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) on the final day of the sixth Caribbean Golf Association (CGA) Four-Ball Golf Championship at the Cinnamon Hill Golf Course in Montego Bay, St James, to retain the country trophy—the Ambrose Gouthro Cup by one point.

Jamaica has won the cup for every staging of the championship to date. With this latest victory, Jamaica denied T&T, who were ahead by three points at the end of the second round. Jamaica earned 91 points for the win, to T&T’s 90 for second place, while Bermuda grabbed third place with 79 points.

Jodi Munn-Barrow, who wore several hats during the championship, namely secretary of the CGA, president of the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) and player in the Ladies’ 25 and over category was very happy.

“Well, I think overall it was good. The participants had a very good time. We got a lot of positive reviews from everybody that came, and we’re very thankful that we got 92 players, far more than we’ve had in recent years. And very, very, very excited and somewhat humbled once again that team Jamaica came out on top. Trinidad gave us a fight, but our A team went out there today and got in the valuable points and we’re able to finish first, and we’re very pleased about that,” said Munn-Barrow.

Jamaica won one category—the Senior Men—to take home the Francis and Steele-Perkins Cup (for 50 and over) ahead of Bermuda by 13 shots after ending the three-day championship on 12 under par 204. Bermuda’s total was one over par 217.

Dr Mark Newnham, who has won the category all six times, teamed up with Owen Samuda for the third consecutive win. Their scores were one under par 71, seven under par 65 and four under par 68 for a combined total of 204.

“The special thing about this partnership is that Owen and I don’t spend a lot of time playing golf together. Owen is in the States most of the year. But there’s a chemistry, there’s a synergy, there’s a belief and trust in each other that just makes us play our best golf together.

“So it’s tough. We wanted to defend the trophy at home. So I think we put ourselves under a little too much pressure the first day, we only shot one under. But then, once we got a little relaxed, we realised that we were only two strokes off the lead. And we shot a blistering seven under second day, and the third day was almost an anticlimax. We kinda cruised to the end, but we’re so proud that we can, every time we play together, we just get back into a little rhythm that is just supportive, and it brings out some awesome golf in both of us,” said Newnham.

Samuda said: “Well, I’m very happy with my victory and I always feel good playing with Dr Newnham, he’s a very good partner, and when you have a partner like that, it doesn’t really bring too much pressure because no matter what you do. We don’t get down on each other. We just pick ourselves up and move on and that’s what partnership is all about and when you have a partner like that you could win a lot of events because, just as we say, we just keep moving along.”

Jamaica hosted the championship for the first time since its inception.

Second place T&T won three categories, namely the Maria Nunez Trophy for Ladies 25 and over, Ramon Baez Trophy for men 35and over, and the Higgs and Higgs Trophy for Men 60 and over. Jamaica’s Jodi Munn-arrow and Lisa Gardner were runner-up in the Maria Nunez category. They were also runner-up in the Ramon Baez Trophy category.

Wayne Baptiste, the CGA’s vice president as well as vice president of T&T Golf Association, said, “Actually, it was keenly contested. We know that Jamaica are the reigning champions, and we had to come very good. We gave them the fight to the wire, and they won by one point. We had a great strategy for the game and we had full teams; however, we were not as good today as was expected because we were leading by three points today, and we thought we [would have won] some other categories to be able to be the overall champion. But again, Jamaica is a tough team, and they played well, and congratulations to them.”

Bermuda grabbed the other two categories—the Dessie Henry Trophy for Ladies 45 and over and the Asraph Ali Trophy. Jamaica was again runner-up for the Dessie Henry Trophy. Jamaica’s A team came fifth while the B team came third in the Ashraph Ali Trophy category.