The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

While many were enjoying the festivities on Majority Rule Day, juniors along with adults participated at the third Front 9 Golf Tournament Series drive, chip and putt event at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Practice Facility. The one-day event was the third of ten scheduled in the series and the first Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy event for 2024. Fifty-six participants came out on the holiday to compete in friendly competition which was deemed a success by the club’s founder Georgette Rolle-Harris.

“For our first drive, chip and putt event of the season it was awesome. Hosting it on a holiday allowed for a really great family atmosphere. We had 56 participants which was also great and it was really good to see parents competing in the same skill sets as their juniors. It allows a great opportunity for more conversations at the dinner table and the parents get to experience some of the highs and lows their juniors go through. All in all it was a really great event,” according to Rolle-Harris.

On Majority Rule Day, Nathalee Tynes led all competitors in the adult female division while Johnathan Cunningham put out a top performance in the adult male category.

Tynes totaled 73 points in the event, with her best performance in the putting exercise, to secure a win. Payton Haye trailed for second with a score of 61 and Lori Greaves took home third place with 35 points

In the male event, Cunningham totaled 99 points after collecting scores of 65 (putt), 21 (chip) and 13 (drive) in the trio of events for first place. Elliot Harvey dropped to the second podium spot with his score of 81 points. Shaun Mahalis fell behind both competitors for third place with 69 points.

Maddisson Carroll, left it all on the course in the 13-15 girls division. She rounded up a score of 74 in the various events to be crowned champion. Jacara Forbes was not too far away on the scoreboard with 68 for the second position. Anissa Robinson ended third a mere point behind Forbes with 67.

Zachary Joseph did a number in the boys division of the same age group. He totaled 91 points for the victory and turned in his best performance in the putting exercise. Next up was Juan Wilson who finished up with 79. Rashawn Hanna settled for third best collecting a score of 61.

Angelino Cooper was the lone competitor in the 16 and over category. He pulled out scores of 55 (putt), 24 (drive) and 16 (chip) to end with 95 in the competition.

Moving along to the girls and boys 10-12 division, Haley Hall and Briland Cunningham took the reins in the respective age groups. Hall bested her competitors in dominant fashion putting up a score of 88. Kaleah Brown came second with 58 points and Kayleigh Rolle wrapped up third with 47.

Cunningham racked up a score of 80 for the boys. Caleb Davis got the second spot after finishing five points behind the victor with 75. William Mahalis completed the trio with a score of 66.

Advik Arora won the boys 7-9 category and Sarah Scheidecker got bragging rights for the girls. Liam Miller took control in the mixed 6-and under age group winning with a score of 35.

After another successful drive, chip and putt event, the founder of Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy talked about its importance in having the juniors practice in an almost identical environment to that of the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals in Augusta, Georgia.

“The Masters Drive, Chip and Putt event is a big event for junior golfers aged 7-15 to get to play on the final stage which is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We set up very similarly to what you see at any of their qualifying sites. For putting we have the same distances, three chip shots to the same similar grid and driving is set up in the same 40-yard grid”

“If we could get our players competing and starting to match their scores with the scores that are actually winning those qualifiers and make it to Augusta they can see where they are excelling and where they need to improve. I think that this year we can have some players make it through the final qualifying stage and hopefully we can see some bright young Bahamian players on TV playing at Augusta,” Rolle-Harris said.

The next event of the tournament series will take place on January 21.