When the 22nd Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship tees off on Tuesday, July 7, the Jamaica team is expected to benefit heavily from ‘home course advantage’ according to manager of the team Dr. Mark Newnham, who spoke to the media while the team practice at the Caymanas Golf Course.  He said “home advantage is a big deal …our kids feel at home at Cinnamon Hill.  Jamaica came fourth in 2008 with ten of a possible fourteen member  team, its best showing in the last 10 years but this year, it’s expected that the country will do well, possible even top the leaderboard and be crowned Caribbean champion of junior golf.  Jamaica is fielding a full team for the first time in many years

The was launched earlier today (Thursday, June 4) at the LIME Golf Academy in Kingston.  The championship is scheduled for July 5-10 at the Cinnamon Hill Golf Course in Montego Bay. 

Actual competition will tee off on Tuesday, July 7 and end on the 9th in the 54-hole championship, with competitors vying to top the leaderboard for the team trophy and six age group trophies (3 each for boys and girls) including the James Moss-Solomon Trophy for Boys 16-17.  The teams will compete in three categories, i.e. 13 and Under – Boy and Girls, 14 -15 – Boys and Girls and 16-17 – Boys and Girls.

The Jamaican team which was selected at the national trials (April 8-9) is led by Jonathan Newnham - the youngest golfer - at 13 years - to represent Jamaica at the senior level in 2008.  Also on the Jamaican team is Vitorria Marley, who at 15 years is the youngest female golfer to represent Jamaica at the senior level.  Both golfers represented Jamaica last year in the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship in Cayman where they performed creditably.  The full team including the reserves are 13 & Under Boys – Oshane Hayer, Michael Wilmott ad Dwight Moulton (reserve); 13 & Under Girls – Danielle Morris and Jayda Thompson; 14 – 15 Boys – Jonathan Newnham, Ian Facey, William Knibbs and Zachary Chong (reserve); 14-15 Girls – Rochelle Price, Zainab James and Cristal Gayle (reserve); 16-17 Boys  Geoffrey Chong, Robert Grant, Jordan Thompson and Lawrence Bailey (reserve) and 16–17 Girls – Vitorria Marley and Shaneil McLoud.

The championship was held in the Cayman Islands last year where Jamaica ended in fourth position, its best showing to date in the championship but that is expected to change this year.  Jason Lopez, the corporate area based coach along with Robert Ames, Cinnamon Hill Course manager and the Western based coach believe that Jamaica has a very good chance of winning as the team boasts talented players who are focused on the job at hand and have been training since late May.

Vikram Dhiman, president of the Jamaica Junior Golf Association and tournament director who spoke at the launch, promised a well run competition.  He indicated that the planning committee has been meeting since last year and all relevant issues will be in place for the July 7 start where all nine participating countries will vie for a chance at the championship which will be defended by Puerto Rico (the 2008 winner).

The nine participating Caribbean islands are Trinidad & Tobago, Cayman Islands, Barbados, OECS countries, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos and Jamaica.

Several sponsors are already on board including Jamaica Broilers, Lucozade Sport, Pan Caribbean Financial Services, Pan Jam, Courts, Jablum, Billy Craig, Superior Parts, Wisnyco and Cinnamon Hill Golf Course, Gleaner, gojamaica.com, Juici Patties, M&A Construction, New Line Motors, R&A and MILO.