Cayman to host international junior golf championship

Cayman is teeing up for one of the region’s premier golf events – the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship, July 3-8.

The championship will bring players from eight countries across the Caribbean, with 18 of Cayman’s top junior golfers competing.

Hosted by the Cayman Islands Golf Association, the championship will see a total of 91 players in the event, which includes individual and team competitions.

The 35th annual tournament is being held at the North Sound Golf Club, with the public invited to come out to watch and support the Cayman team.

“The Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships benefi ts the junior players on the Cayman team by getting the opportunity to test their skills against the best junior players from the Caribbean region,” says CIGA President Dan Fortune.

“For the junior players that have not yet reached the level of international competition, it gives them inspiration from watching both the players from Cayman and abroad compete here in Cayman and see what can be achieved.”

Daniel De Quintal, 16, says Cayman’s junior golf programme, under coach Tim Dwyer, has helped him improve his game – allowing him to compete several times on the international stage, including last year’s tournament in Puerto Rico.

Cayman National Team

Todd Purton
Daniel De Quintal
Danny Lyne
Ben Croucher
Luke Dodson
Sam McLean
Marko Rando
Hunter Kassam
Holly McLean
Lauren Needham
Milanna Lamontagne
Katie Walton
Manon Guilbard

Individual players for Cayman

Joshua Dickens
Joshua Richardson
Jesse Duiker Daignault
John Trout
Adam Stepaniuk

 

Team Coach: Golf Professional Tim Dwyer at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club

 

2023 participating countries

 

Cayman Islands
Bahamas
Barbados
Dominican Republic
Jamaica
Puerto Rico
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos

“It was an amazing experience to represent the Cayman Islands against the best juniors in the Caribbean, which makes me even more excited that this year we are hosting the tournament,” he says.

National Team

This year, 13 players will represent the Cayman Islands National Team, competing as a team for the Hank James Trophy and individually for trophies for the best player in each age division.

As host nation, the Caribbean Golf Association granted approval for an additional five players to compete as individuals for trophies in two of the age groups (Boys U14 and Boys 14 to 15).

Lauren Needham, 18, is part of the junior and women’s national team. It will be her last year competing in the juniors, and she’s happy this year’s tournament is being held on home turf.

“It’s always such a fun and competitive tournament,” she says. “Cayman has its biggest team this year, so it’ll be a great year for us to compete in the team event, as well as the individual age group divisions.”

Needham has been with the junior programme since its start and appreciates the opportunities it presents not only to compete but to meet other players from across the region.

“My golf game is feeling strong at the moment so I’m hoping to come out with some great scores for the team,” she says.

The tournament is presented by DART and Grant Thornton, with support from the Caribbean Golf Association, R&A and the Ministry of Tourism. This is the second time Cayman has hosted the tournament, fielding a squad of nine players when it was held here in 2013.

Last year’s championship in Puerto Rico saw Cayman pick up two podium places with Danny Lyne winning the boys 15U age group and Holly McLean placing third in the girls U18 division.

Schedule of events:

Monday, July 3 – Teams arrival on island
Tuesday, July 4 – Practice round at North Sound Golf Club and Opening Flag Ceremony at the Marriott
Wednesday, July 5 – Round 1
Thursday, July 6 – Round 2
Friday, July 7 – Final round with awards ceremony afterwards at North Sound Golf Club
Saturday July 8 – Teams depart

Sponsors

Tournament is presented by:

Supported by:

Next major sponsors:

Additional supporters:

Andrew and Susan Needham