Photos & Report: Juniors Golf

February 16, 2011

In Bermuda Junior Golf Association action this past weekend [Feb 13] the Blue and White Tee Junior golfers teed off at Port Royal while the Red Tee players tackled Ocean View. In difficult playing conditions with temperatures in the low 60s, winds gusting over 40 knots and stinging rain showers blowing through on a regular basis scores were elevated across the groups.

At Port Royal only Matthew Smith competed in the Blue Tee group and the conditions, combined with the lack of competition, saw him simply focus on completing the round in order to walk off with the maximum medal points.

The White Tee group was a much more competitive event. The winner, Thomas Allkins, was the only player in this group to break 100, with his 97 good for a 3 shot win over Evan Watkins. Allkins’ 5th par of the day at the par 4 closing hole proved to be decisive as Watkins score was tied with Allkins after 17 holes and Watkins could only manage a triple-bogey to slip back to second.

Arriek Douglas, 1-shot behind Allkins and Watkins after 17 holes, also triple-bogeyed 18 to finish in third place. Douglas made light of the conditions over the front 9 shooting a fine 7-over 43 to lead by 5 strokes at the turn. His front 9 included 3 pars plus a birdie at the par 4 #4. Unsurprisingly Douglas couldn’t maintain this level of play over the back 9 and steadily slipped back to his finishing position.

Throughout their round Daniel Hetzel and Sam Wehmeyer battled back and forth for fourth and fifth place points with the par 3 #16, Port Royal’s signature hole, proving decisive for Hetzel where his bogey resulted in his jumping from 2 shots behind Wehmeyer to 2 shots ahead. Hetzel went on to complete his round on 104 – 1 shot better than Wehmeyer.

Playing off the Red tees as the sole female competitor Zayla Smith posted a fine 97, the only other Junior under 100 at Port Royal, to claim the first place points in style.

At Ocean View the Boy’s Red Tee competition was reduced to 9-holes by the conditions on the course. In the abbreviated competition Evan Hughes on 47 held on for a 1-shot win over Brady Cordeiro. Hughes went into the 9th hole with a comfortable 5 shot lead but had difficulty with what was ultimately the last hole, however, the resulting 4 shot swing to Cordeiro was not enough to change the standings. Prior to #9, pars at #4, a birdie at the par 5 #6 and pars at #7 and #8 saw Hughes build his lead.

In the battle for third place points Dakota Lamb edged out Kyle Trott on retrogression as both players scored 50 over the 9 holes. Lamb had no pars in his round while Trott had 2. Mikus Ming earned fifth place points with a score of 52.

In Red Tee group 4 Jarred Douglas was in dominating form shooting 52 for a comfortable 10 shot win over Liam Perry.

Photos by Only the Best, click to enlarge: