A jubilant Team Jamaica returned to the island recently, having copped three medals at the 37^th Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship (CAJGC) in Puerto Rico at the Grand Reserve Golf Club.

They got a gold in the 18 and Under category and two bronze medals—one each in the 18&U and the 13 and Under categories.

Co-captain Mattea Issa was very pleased to take home her first gold medal, having been runner-up in every category she played in since starting to represent Jamaica at the CAJGC as an 11-year-old in the 13 and Under category.

Her gold came in the 18 and Under category in her last year as a junior player. Her scores in the championship were 83, 73 and 75 for a combined total of 231, which was good enough to take home the coveted Peter Hale trophy.

“So, it obviously means a lot. This is my last year as a junior, so it’s a very bittersweet moment. The team and I had an amazing time in Puerto Rico. The course was incredible, and just the people and the memories that you make at these tournaments are something that’s like unforgettable. And I’ll just be thinking about those memories that I’ve made since I was 11 years old, and it’s been a very special moment to finally get the win and bring it home,” said Issa.

Kingston Burke, who also competed in the 18 and Under category, won her first medal in the championship, which was a bronze. Her three-round scores were 83, 77 and 77 for a total of 237.

Alessandra Coe copped the third medal, which was the bronze, in her final year as a representative in the 13 and Under category. Her scores were 85, 80 and 81 for a total of 246. “It was a great experience, especially my last year in Under 13 Girls. I’m happy I got third place cause I’ve improved a lot, and I did not have a good day, but then I improved as the days as days went by.”

Coe was joined in the 13 and Under category by Fancesca Black, who placed fifth with a total score of 263.

Mallaina Williams came seventh in the 15 and Under category with scores of 86, 86 and 84 respectively in rounds one, two and three.

The other co-captain, Ryan Lue, will also be leaving the junior ranks. He represented Jamaica very well at the championship in all the age group categories over the years, and had a very good start this year, but it did not end how he wanted. His score of even par 72 in the first round was the best score by any of the Jamaican players in the championship and was second at that point, but ended on 240 in 14^th place. 

“It’s alright, I didn’t play as good as I wanted to, and I’m glad the team did well,” said Lue.

Kemari Morris’ 4th-place finish in the 15 and Under category was the best placed Jamaican male in the championship. His overall score of 262 came on the back of 74, 80 and 78 in the three rounds.

Caneron Coe, who competed in the same category, ended in 15^th place after posting 266 overall. Thirteen-and-under player Shasa Redlefsen was seventh with a total score of 241.

Coach Jonathan Newnham was pleased with the performance of the nine-member team of five girls and four boys. “The championship was good. We knew that the team championship itself was tricky because of the limited players, but we were focusing on trying to bring home some individual trophies, and we were able to obviously bring home a championship with Mattea and then two third-place finishes with Kingston and Ale, which was great to see,” said Newnham.

“And then we also, you know, Kemari just finished outside the medals, but the boys, across the board, it was great to see the effort. Yes, we had some individual performances which stood out, but I was really proud of how everybody stayed in it for 54 holes and did their best,” he added.