Teen golf sensation Aaron Jarvis got his hands on the coveted US Masters winner’s green jacket Tuesday – only this one was made of icing and sugar.
The 19-year-old will make history as the first Caymanian to compete for the real thing when he travels to Augusta, Georgia, for the biggest event in golf next month.
Friends, family and well-wishers gathered at George Town Yacht Club this week to wish him farewell and good luck.
He was presented with a custom-made shirt, featuring the Cayman flag, and a three-tier cake by the Ministry of Tourism.
A large crowd toasted his success and he signed specially designed postcards for dignitaries including Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan and Governor Martyn Roper, as well as for his grandad and a growing number of fans and friends.
Jarvis, who qualified for the biggest stage in the sport with his victory at the Latin American Amateur Championship in the Dominican Republic in January, hopes to have his cake and eat it, too, when he lines up against the world’s best golfers mid-April.
He said he was nervous, but not intimidated, at the prospect of facing the likes of Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson.
“I’m just gonna enjoy it but I also want to play well,” he told the media at Tuesday’s event.
“I think it’s an opportunity for me to make a name for myself and put myself into the big world with the professionals and show people that coming from a small place, you can still make it.”
Jarvis will compete in the Cayman Islands Golf Association’s national championships at the North Sound Golf Club over the weekend before heading to Florida to work with his coach ahead of the Masters.
He is allowed five practice days at the famous Augusta course before the tournament.
The first two of those, which took place earlier this year, were about acclimatising to the atmosphere of a place he has previously only experienced on television.
He has three more sessions to hone his tactics and strategy before the big event.
Magical atmosphere
“The whole place is pretty magical,” he said, “Just driving down Magnolia Lane and seeing the place for the first time was pretty cool. But going there for multiple times before the tournament will allow me to get comfortable with the course.”
In a message to youngsters coming up in the game – or in any sport – he said the key element was to have fun and believe you can improve.
His victory and ascent to the Masters field was considered all the more unlikely because of Cayman’s limited facilities. But Jarvis, his brother Andrew, fellow college golfer Justin Hastings and national team captain Payten Wight have all excelled despite those challenges.
“Having one golf course here was enough for us to get better every day,” he said.
“The older guys took us in… even though there’s one course we enjoyed going out there until sunset, after school ’til dark and we wouldn’t get home till like eight, nine o’clock sometimes, but it was so good. Having one golf course was enough for us to get better every day and we just enjoyed it and had fun growing up.”
Jarvis has a packed summer that will also take him to the equally prestigious Open Championship in Scotland, to the US Open qualifiers and several other high-profile events.
His mum and dad, Lana and Robin Jarvis, said they were proud to see what he had achieved and would be rooting for him in Augusta along with a large contingent of family and friends from Cayman.
“It’s an exciting year for all of us and I know you have all been part of the journey along the way,” said Robin, as he paid tribute to all the coaches, friends, family and supporters who have helped Aaron on his journey, “Thank you everybody for this and this is our journey together so enjoy it.”
Historic moment
Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said Jarvis would be representing Cayman on the big stage and putting the island on the map.
“This is a moment in time that will forever be part of our history,” he said at Tuesday’s event.
“We are fortunate to have him as a representative for our country.”
Jarvis hopes to make the cut at the Masters and finish as the top amateur, a result that would help propel him towards the big time. He is currently playing golf for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and hopes his college career and this summer’s schedule of major tournaments could be a pathway to a pro career.
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