The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas is sitting in a two-way tie for second place in the team standings after day one of the 32nd Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships, thanks to the performances of Sophie Anand, Diego Azar, Heathcliff Kane and Tyesha Tynes.

The quartet all finished in the top two in their respective divisions at the end of yesterday's opening round of the three-day tournament at the Albany Golf Club.

The Bahamas ended the day with a total of 44 points - equal to Jamaica - from the six divisions combined for boys and girls 11-13, 15-and-under and 18-and-under divisions. They both trail defending champions Puerto Rico, who surged out front with 53 points. The Cayman Islands is fourth with 27 points, Barbados is fifth with 16, Trinidad & Tobago is seventh with 10 and the Turks & Caicos Islands bring up the rear with seven.

Anand, 14, produced the lowest score of the day with a three-under-69 to snatch the early lead in the girls' 15-and-under division for the Kenneth Francis Trophy. Her nearest rival was Emily Mayne of Jamaica with an even-par 72.

Kyndall Campbell, the only other Bahamian entered in the division, is in eighth place with a 94 for a plus-22 score.

In the boys' 11-12 division for the Bob Slatter Trophy, Azar is in a two-way tie for first place with Daniel Belardo of Puerto Rico. They both shot 3-over-par 75.

Kane, competing in the boys' 15-and-under for the Arturo Pellerano Trophy, is tied for second with Justin Hastings from the Cayman Islands with identical scores of 6-over-par 78. Puerto Rico's Gustavo Rangel Badillo leads the field with one-over-par 73.

Three other Bahamians are contesting the division with Nicholas Phillips tied with Tristan Brown from Jamaica with 80, Zion Taylor is 13th with 90 and Benjamin Knowles is 15th with 97.

Tynes is also tied for second in the girls' 11-13 division for the John Fitzgerald Trophy with Winni Lau from Jamaica with 87. Camila Niegroni of Puerto Rico holds the top spot with 83.

In the boys' 18-and-under division for the James Moss-Solomon Trophy, Saketh Hedge is in sixth place for the Bahamas with 78. Andres Aranguren of Puerto Rico and Justin Burrowes of Jamaica are even at the top with an even-par 72.

Dominic Grieves, the other Bahamian competing in the division, is in 15th place with 105.

And in the girls' 18-and-under division for the Cesar Rivera Trophy, Haylie Turnquest is 5th with 88, followed by Ashley Michel in sixth with 91. Emily Odwin of Barbados shot an even-par 72 to take the initial lead in the division.

Bahamas manager/coach Alena Hutchinson was quite pleased with the Bahamas' opening day performances. "Overall it was a good showing for Team Bahamas," said Hutchinson, a former junior national team player for the Bahamas.

"In some divisions, we had some standout performances. It's a good showing from half of our team. Hopefully the rest will kick into action tomorrow."

With the team taking advantage of the home-field advantage, Hutchinson said the results showed in certain categories that they performed well in, but the other competitors have to get adjusted to the greens.

"We just have to play up to our potential, but I'm happy with where Team Bahamas is today and I know we can do even better tomorrow," Hutchinson said.

As for the competition, Hutchinson said the other teams are not just going to give it to them. They will have to earn it. "The competition is very stiff. The strokes that separate first place to 10, there is not that much in between," she said.

"There's probably 10-12 shots that separate these players, so that just tells you that the level of play is high. So I am very happy with what I have seen so far from the players competing in the tournament."