Cayman’s golfers hold firm in 3rd

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 4 August 2017

Andrew Jarvis shot 72 on the third day.

With one day to play at the 2017 Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships, the Cayman Islands team solidified its spot in third position with four golfers inside the top 20 of the individual leaderboard of the Hoerman Cup at the end of Thursday, 3 August.

The team’s combined score of 293 on the day was four strokes back of Puerto Rico and six behind the hosts, Dominican Republic. The six-member team is on pace to have its best showing away from home at the championships. Cayman was second when it hosted the tournament nine years ago.

It was a big day on the course for veteran Michael Wight, as he shot his best score for the week with a 72, which was also matched by Andrew Jarvis. Overall, Wight was +12 through three rounds, and 12^th on the leaderboard behind 14-year-old Justin Hastings, who was ninth with +10 (75 on Thursday).

“Michael Wight played well again and felt the difference today was hitting more greens. Andrew was swinging solidly today and made few mistakes,” noted Cayman Islands Golf Association president, Paul Woodhouse.

Jarvis’ solid round saw him crack into the top 20 at +17, two spots behind his younger brother Aaron, who sat in 18^th with +16 through three rounds.

“I played very solid for most of the day. I had a few loose swings, which led to bogeys. Other than that, everything else went really [well]. Putts started to drop as well, which was a plus,” Andrew Jarvis said.

He noted wind was still a factor, making some holes difficult to play but added “we’re all pleased with the way we played today and Cayman performed.”

Payten Wight shot his best round of the week with a 74 to sit at +18. That had him at 24^th on the leaderboard. “Payten grinded well and hung in there for a good score,” noted Woodhouse.

“Conditions were tough. We had a bit of a shower toward the middle of the round,” said Payten Wight, who birdied the 18th. (See video)

Brian Ross has steadily recovered from a rough opening round and shot 76, his lowest through three days and was +20 in 27^th.

Payten Wight was full of praise for team coach Erick Fowler, pointing out that the PGA Professional and Director of Golf at the North Sound Golf Club has been invaluable to the team.

“He came out and encouraged me to grind it out and I went from six over par [on the day] to three over par to finish the round. I want to thank him for all he has done for us this week. He’s been very tremendous with the support he’s been giving,” he said.

The top two Cayman players will win a place to represent the country at the Latin America Amateur Championships in Chile next January. The winner of that tournament gets to play in the Masters at Augusta in April.