Cayman golf prodigy Aaron Jarvis may be flying out to prepare for the US Masters next week, but a host of challengers will be aiming to keep his feet firmly on the ground at the Cayman national championships being held 12-13 March.
Perhaps the biggest competitor for the title will be his brother, Andrew Jarvis, a past champion at the event, which will be played at the North Sound Golf Course.
Payten Wight, another former champion, will be in serious contention while Danny Lyne and Giles Hobday are considered potential winners.
The presence of the younger Jarvis, making his last appearance in Cayman before his history-making Masters bid, adds extra buzz to this year’s event.
“His achievements over the past few months have been fantastic but there is a pretty competitive bunch of guys and they will all be gunning to take him down,” said Daniel Fortune, vice president of the Cayman Islands Golf Association.
“I would not imagine him running away with it at all.”
He said Andrew Jarvis and Wight, in particular, both know the North Sound course well and are big hitters off the tee.
College golfer Aaron Jarvis, who won the Latin America Amateur Championship in Dominican Republic in January to qualify for the Masters, is back in Cayman briefly before a summer of competition in the US and Europe.
Speaking at an event on 8 March organised by the Ministry of Tourism to wish him well at the Masters, said he was not expecting an easy time this weekend. He added he enjoyed the opportunity to be back home playing with his close friends, saying the chance to play for the Cayman title had come up because of a late change in his schedule.
“I already played with some of my boys (this week) so it’s been good. I’ll play in the island championship, because I’m staying this weekend now till next Wednesday [16 March]. So I’ll play with the guys again.”
Holly McLean, who currently plays at school in the Bahamas and is headed to the US college golf scene next year, is considered the favourite in the women’s event.
Fortune said golf had taken off during COVID and with the excitement around Jarvis’ exploits, he expects a large field and greater than usual interest.
There is also a men’s seniors event for over-50s and ‘super seniors’ for over-60s as well as handicap tournaments for men and women.
Around 3pm on Sunday, the second day of the tournament, the leaders are expected to be on the 18th tee.
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