The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

TEAM Bahamas will have much ground to cover if they hope to contend against the region’s top junior golfers.

The Bahamas currently stands in fifth place at the 28th edition of the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships, hosted in St Croix, US Virgin Islands.

In a quest for their eighth consecutive title, Puerto Rico leads the field with 106 points, followed by the Dominican Republic with 103 points and Trinidad and Tobago with 80 points.

In the race for the Hank James Trophy, given to the top scoring team in the tournament, the Bahamas has totalled 55 points through two days at the event.

Cameron Riley, in the boys’ 15-and-under division, had the best day of any member of the Bahamian team after he shot a second round 81. He shot an opening round 82 for a score of 163, tied for fifth in his division.

Also in the division, Xavier Robinson shot a second round 85, following his opening round 84. He has also shot a 169 and is ranked at No.12 in the division.

Inecia Rolle leads the way for the Bahamas’ female members with a team low score of 175, good enough for fourth in her division. She shot an 84 on the opening day, but fell two spots to fourth when she followed with a second round 91 yesterday.

Asif Robinson, playing in the boys’ 17-and-under division, is also ranked No.12 amongst his group after a two day total of 174. He fell several spots yesterday after shooting an 89 to follow an opening round 85 from Tuesday.

Also in the division, Ryan Coerbell is 12 shots back with a total of 188. Despite a high score of 89 yesterday, his 99 from round one has him relegated to No.17 in the group.

In the girls’ 15-and-under division, Tynesha Tynes is currently tied for ninth with a score of 201. She opened with a score of 95, but followed with the highest score of the group on day two at 106.

In the girls’ 11-13, Ashley Michel is currently in eighth place with a score of 215 after shooting 101 on day one and 114 yesterday.

Benjamin Knowles is ranked No.13 in the boys’ 11-13 division with a total of 234 (114, 120). The tournament concludes today.

Ian Coerbell is the team coach and Alena Hutcheson is team manager and team coach, according to a press release.

“The 2015 Bahamas junior national team although small in size is comprised of seasoned golfers. The team is expected to play well during the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships and exceed that of their fourth place finish at last year’s tournament. “I am excited about the future of golf in the country with these junior golfers being at the forefront. The team is excited to compete and ready to play well,” said Hutcheson.

The Spanish-speaking Caribbean continues to dominate the event with host country Puerto Rico featuring four division leaders while the Dominican Republic has fielded the next two.

The Bahamian golfers continue to face-off against their Caribbean counterparts from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) on the 54-hole championships course.

The Bahamas has finished fourth in the last two editions of the event.

In 2014, the Bahamas scored a total of 92 points, behind Puerto Rico (161), Dominican Republic (136), and Trinidad and Tobago (121).

At the 26th CAJGC, the Bahamas finished in fourth place at the tournament hosted at the North Sound Golf Club, Cayman Islands.

In 2013, the Bahamas finished fourth with a score of 118 behind first place Puerto Rico with 151, the Dominican Republic with 139 and Trinidad and Tobago with 135.

Jamaica finished fifth with 91 and Barbados rounded out the top six with 40.

The championships are played annually and is rotated amongst the members of The Caribbean Golf Association.

This team event, first played in Puerto Rico in 1988, is played over 54 holes in three divisions for boys and girls 10-17 years.