Rocco Lopez was head and shoulders above the rest of the field.
Contributed
Rocco Lopez delivered three solid days of golf at the Caymanas Golf Club in St. Catherine to emerge atop a Boys 18 and Under group of eight players invited to the national trials for the upcoming Caribbean Junior Amateur Golf Championships scheduled for July 3-8 in the Cayman Islands.
In challenging conditions, Lopez carded two-over-par 74 on opening day, 72, and a one-over 73 on the final day of the trials, for a combined score of 219.
He was the only one to score par with Ryan Lue coming closest when he posted 73 in the second round. Notably, Aman Dhiman was the only golfer other than Lopez, to score in the 70s on all three days. He scored 74 to be joint leader with Lopez on the first day and went on to score 78 and 79 on the second and third day, respectively, to take the runner up spot in the trials.
"Conditions were tough. It was dry, windy, hot but I managed to make fun out of it and I had a good time," Lopez said after achieving victory.
Lue, who was two strokes behind Dhiman, placed third after ending the trials on 15 over par 231, with daily scores of 82, 73 and 76. Trey Williams was fourth spot with scores of 88, 78 and 79.
Noah Azan and Tenny Davis were joint fifth with identical three-day combined scores of 247 each.
According to Alison Reid, the convener for junior golf, the tournament is not the end of preparation. “Everybody goes on practicing. Now it’s even more important because now you have to sharpen up what you have been doing because we want to take the best team to the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship so they have to keep practicing," she said, adding that she was satisfied with the level of play.
“There was solid golf. Some of them were a little disappointed and thought they could have done better but all in all I think it was good."
The selection committee will meet to select three players plus one reserve player for national duties in July.
The trials for Girls 18 and Under and Girls and Boys 15 and Under and 13 and Under age groups are scheduled for March 24-26 at the Caymanas Golf Club.
Thomas wants Woods' seal of approval at Hero World Challenge
Justin Thomas would be thrilled to gain the seal of approval from Tiger Woods by going on to win the Hero World Challenge.
Woods, a 15-time major champion, is hosting the event at the Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas.
After three rounds, Thomas holds a one-shot lead over world number one Scottie Scheffler, who squandered a birdie putt on the 18th and sits at 16 under par.
Asked how he would feel to receive the trophy from Woods, Thomas said: "Yeah, yeah, that would be great.
"I've had a couple of opportunities in the past, but it's something I'd love to check off my box in my career at some point."
Thomas has not won a title since lifting the PGA Championship in May 2022, but is in a strong position after carding a bogey-free, six-under-par 66 on Saturday.
"I've been progressing nicely, and have been working on all the right things," the American said.
"I feel like I've been seeing signs of improvement, which is what you want and that's all I can do.
"I can't control everybody else or what’s going on, I've just got to keep playing as good as I possibly can and hope that it's enough come Sunday."
Tom Kim was one of Saturday's big moves, as he went up seven places to third after scoring 62, with a double-bogey on the 17th quashing his hopes of equalling the course record of 61.
Kim sits two shots back from Thomas and two ahead of Keegan Bradley on 13 under, with Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala tied for fifth a shot further back.
Cameron Young, who was the first-round leader, is down in 12th on five under, after he only managed a par score of 72.
Scheffler leads after second round of Hero World Challenge
World number one Scottie Scheffler enjoyed a two-shot lead after the second round of the Hero World Challenge as he looks to defend the title.
The 28-year-old American made eight birdies in a bogey-free round to finish on 13 under at the Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas.
Scheffler was three shots back of Cameron Young after the first round of the event that has a field of 20 players and is hosted by Tiger Woods.
"[I was] just trying to keep my foot down on the pedal," said Scheffler.
"It was good. I did a lot of good things. The front nine was really nice and then the back nine I felt like I did some good things as well."
Justin Thomas and Akshay Bhatia are joint-second on 11 under, with Keegan Bradley two shots back and sitting in fourth place.
"I didn't feel like I had to grind on the majority of my birdie putts, a lot of them were tap-ins or whatnot," Thomas said.
"If I can just iron or wedge it just a little closer to the hole and get some putts to go in, I feel like I've got a really good round out there this weekend."
Sepp Straka and Im Sung-jae are tied for fifth place after shooting 68s, while Young, who was the leader after the opening day, slipped down to share 10th place.
Jamaica Classic Schools Gymnastics Championships set to showcase rising talent
Following the successful staging of the Carifta Gymnastics Championships, the Jamaica Gymnastics Federation (JGF) is set to launch the highly anticipated Jamaica Classic Schools Championships tomorrow. The event will feature over 470 gymnasts from 40 schools across the island, a significant increase from last year’s participation of approximately 250 athletes.
The championships, scheduled for December 7-11, 2024, will take place at the National Training Center on 1 Slipe Road in Kingston, running daily from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The competition promises to highlight the exceptional talent and dedication of Jamaica’s young gymnasts.
This year’s event will also serve as a platform to select the best performers for an all-star school team, set to compete internationally in 2025 in Trinidad, the Dominican Republic, Bermuda, and Barbados.
The competition will include routines on the bars, vault, and floor, giving athletes the chance to demonstrate their strength, skill, and artistry.
"We are incredibly proud of the growth of this event and the increasing number of participants," said Nicole Grant, President of the Jamaica Gymnastics Federation. "The dedication of the athletes, coaches, and schools is truly inspiring, and we look forward to witnessing the remarkable performances that will unfold during the championships."
Grant also emphasized the role of the event in elevating the sport locally and internationally. "This competition is about more than winning medals; it’s about fostering a love for gymnastics, building confidence, and inspiring the next generation of Jamaican athletes. With the support of families, schools, and communities, we are confident that Jamaica’s gymnasts will continue to shine on the regional and international stage."
Fans and supporters are encouraged to attend the championships and cheer on the gymnasts as they compete for top honours and the chance to represent Jamaica on the international stage.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
