Following the successful 2018 CAGC where the Cayman Islands men’s team we’re crowned champions, Cayman golf has achieved another milestone where four of it’s men’s players are now officially ranked on the golf rankings.

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The World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®), which comprises a women’s ranking (WWAGR®) and a men’s ranking (MWAGR®) for elite amateur players, is offered by The R&A and the United States Golf Association as a global service to golf. Through incorporation and assessment worldwide of both amateur and professional events, WAGR® encourages the international development of the competitive game.

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The rankings demonstrate the on going success of the junior program with two of the ranked players are still part of the program and another recently moving on from the junior program.

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Congratulations to the four players on their hard work and this historical achievement in getting ranked and representing the Cayman Islands.

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A huge shoutout for those persons on CIGA committee for helping to make this possible!

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Now it’s time to climb the rankings!! Make Cayman proud!

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A new executive has taken over the administration of golf in the Cayman Islands, as long-standing president Paul Woodhouse, who served for more than half a decade, was replaced by Jonathan Joyce in early May.

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Other changes to the Cayman Islands Golf Association (CIGA) Executive Committee saw Dan Fortune become the Vice President and Regan Cairns replace Emma Woodhouse as Secretary. In addition to these changes, Anthony Daniels, Taylor Wight and National Champion and trick shot specialist Payten Wight joined the Committee with Nick Gaze and Robin Jarvis retiring from duty. They join existing Committee members Tom Dillon, Scott Kapuscinski and Paul Wammer.

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Despite courses being closed since March due to restrictions aimed at stemming the spread of coronavirus, the CIGA has been planning for a resumption of the sport whenever restrictions are lifted locally. The association held its AGM via Zoom on Sunday, 3 May, at which time the changes to the executive took place.

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Incoming President Jonathan Joyce thanked those that were retiring from the Committee for their commitment and dedication during their time involved, in particular Paul and Emma Woodhouse who have overseen many successes both locally and internationally on and off the golf course.

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The CIGA season was in full swing when the government announced restrictions that saw all sports come to a halt in March as part of national efforts to limit the spread of the potentially deadly virus. It’s not yet clear when the green light will be given for golfers to pick up their clubs and take to the course.

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The Cayman Islands Golf Association teed off the year with its first major tournament sponsored by TRAC Automotive, which featured a closely fought match in the men’s competition. The 28th National Amateur Championships, held at the North Sound Golf Club earlier this month, showcased Cayman’s best senior and junior golfers. The event comprised four championship divisions along with a separate handicap event for both men and women.

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The men’s championship event has always been a closely contested one and this year was no exception. The first-round leader was Justin Hastings, who shot a 4-under-par 67. Aaron Jarvis and Payten Wight each shot rounds of 2-under-par 69. These three played together in the final group on Sunday, with the lead changing hands over the course of the round. Neck-and-neck with Wight late in the round, Hastings had a chance to pull even but narrowly missed the putt, leaving Wight to hole out and claim his second Cayman Islands Amateur Championships win after his 2018 victory.

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Holly McLean returned from the Bahamas, where she attends the Albany Golf Academy, to defend her 2019 title. She backed up a very impressive 1-under-par round of 70 on the first day with a round of 73 on day two to retain the trophy.

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Richard Hastings won in the seniors (50+) division, beating Jim Schubert, Paul Woodhouse and three-time senior champion, Scott Kapuscinski. The super senior (60+) champion from 2019, Tracy Moore, defended his title against a strong challenge from the field with the eventual runner-up Mick Whitworth. Dan Fortune took the men’s handicap division, and Rocio Esau earned the ladies title for the second year in a row.

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Cayman golfer Justin Hastings finished tied for 28th – third best among Caribbean competitors – at the recent 2020 Latin America Amateur Championship, with compatriot Andrew Jarvis missing the cut after the first two days.Jarvis and Hastings joined more than 100 of the leading amateur golfers from South and Central America and the Caribbean at the annual championship.

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The winner of this event gains direct entry into both The Masters and The US Open tournaments and a chance to qualify for the US Amateur Championship. This was the second time both golfers competed at the event. Jarvis played in the 2016 tournament in the Dominican Republic, and Hastings took part in the 2018 tournament in Chile. At the time, Hastings was 14 years old, the event’s youngest-ever competitor.

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Hastings said in an email to the Cayman Compass that he was grateful for the opportunity to represent Cayman on a grand stage.

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“It’s something you can’t get anywhere else,” he said. “The fact that I can go to an event as a 16-year-old, wear the Cayman flag proudly, and play for what every golfer dreams of achieving in their careers, is unbelievable. I am extremely grateful for the chance that the R&A (Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland), USGA (United States Golf Association) and Masters gives us.”

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Jarvis added in an email, “I can’t be more grateful to go to this event. I’ve represented my country at many levels and to do it again at the LAAC I’m grateful for the opportunity. The Masters, R&A and USGA put on a very good tournament. The week was not my greatest, but just to be at an event like this is something special.”

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Cayman Islands Golf Association president Paul Woodhouse, who is also vice president of the Caribbean Golf Association, attended the LAAC and in an email to the Compass, said he believes the sky is the limit for Cayman’s young golfers.

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“This is an incredible event,” said Woodhouse. “It is a fantastic opportunity for our young players to test themselves against the very best in this type of tournament. It is invaluable experience for them. Future invitations to these events will be predominately based on World Amateur rankings. As part of its tournament programme, the Association will be staging more World Amateur Golf Ranking accredited events to help our golfers gain entry in the future.”

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Cayman’s top amateur golfers will be in action again on 1 and 2 Feb. at the 28th Cayman Islands Amateur Championship, where Jarvis will be defending the title he won last year.

Justin Hastings finished fifth overall while Aaron Jarvis finished tied for 25th as the Cayman Islands golfers for the first time representated their home at The Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship, in Coral Gables, Florida.

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They joined 55 other players in a four-day battle for the boys’ championship at the Biltmore Golf Course. This year’s field brought together entrants not only from the US and Cayman but also comprised a diverse international field representing Iceland, Barbados, Russia, Croatia, Hong Kong, Ecuador, Finland and Northern Ireland.

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Hastings was joint leader over the first two days of the tournament, shooting a 1-under-par 70 in each of the first two rounds. He finished even-par 70 on day three to stay in contention. In the fourth round, he finished even-par 35 over the first nine but bogeyed three of his final nine holes to finish the round with a 3-over-par 74, dropping him to fifth place overall. His performance earned him an invitation to next year’s Orange Bowl.

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Jarvis’ best performance came in the second round, where he shot a 1-over-par 72. A difficult third day – 8-over-par 79 – set him back but he responded with a 3-over 74 in the closing round to finished tied with three others for 25th.

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“We are incredibly proud of both Justin and Aaron. This is one the toughest events on the international junior circuit and one of the first individual 72 hole competitions they have played,” said Cayman Islands Golf Association president Paul Woodhouse in a press release. “For the Cayman Islands to have two such talented golfers making their way on the international junior scene is a fabulous achievement and shows the value of the investment of time, energy and resources into junior golf development which has been and continues to be a priority for our golf association.”

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In an email to the Cayman Compass, Jarvis said of his play at the tournatment: “The field and course were very challenging. I played very well in the first two rounds. However, in Round 3, with high winds and difficult pin locations, it was very challenging. “In Round 4, I just tried to stay focussed on my game and not think about anyone else’s score. This helped me to have a better score. I’m happy with how I played over four rounds of golf and meeting coaches from top universities.”

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The Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship has catapulted previous winners into stardom, including Tiger Woods. As for Hastings and Jarvis, both players acquitted themselves well despite the windy conditions. Later this month, Hastings, along with Jarvis’s older brother, Andrew, will be teeing it up at the Latin American Amateur Championships at Mayakoba’s El Camaleón Golf Club in Riviera Maya, Mexico.

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The Cayman Islands Golf Association marked its 27th anniversary at the annual President’s Trophy event presented by Cayman National Bank on Saturday. In his opening introduction, Association President Paul Woodhouse announced one of the original founders of CIGA, David Bird, had been elected to the Caribbean Golf Association’s Hall of Fame.

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The Cayman Islands Golf Association, (CIGA) held the 27th annual President’s Trophy event presented by Cayman National on Saturday 30th November.

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The tournament was played at the North Sound Golf Club, and in his presentation speech CIGA President Paul Woodhouse praised the greenkeeping staff, headed up by Starling Kelly for their hard work in getting the course into good condition. He noted that the speed and quality of the greens, in conjunction to committee member Paul Wammer’s challenging pin positions, made for a fun and challenging test.

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The President’s Trophy is contested over one round (18) holes and is a strokeplay handicap event with the winners being determined as those with the lowest net score.  The handicaps of the competitors on Saturday ranged from +6 (almost professional standard!) to 26.  One of the benefits of CIGA membership is that players can gain and maintain a United States Golf Association handicap which is recognised worldwide.  The age of the entrants also illustrates the fact that golf can be played and enjoyed by people of all ages.  The competitors on Saturday encompassed a range of 15 to 70+ 

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36 golfers contested the Men’s event with the trophy going to Giles Hobday, with a score of 70. Runner up was Rich Hastings, who also finished with a 70. The tie was broken in accordance the rules of the competition. Dan Fortune, Tournament Director for CIGA, took third with 72.

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Winner of the Ladies competition was Maria Butler with a net score of 71, runner up Emma Woodhouse (73). In the Senior Men’s category (gentlemen aged 50 yrs and over) the winner was Dave Champoux with a net score of 70, with Joe Defilippo second on 72. Super Seniors division (gentlemen aged 60 +), was won by Gilles Laplante with a score of 71, Mick Whitworth 2nd with 75.

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During the trophy presentation Mr Woodhouse thanked Cayman National for their ongoing support of the of the association’s youth community golf development programme.  Cayman National Executive Vice President Brian Esau and – Erol Babayigit, SVP, Cayman National Securities were at the ceremony and took part in the trophy presentation. 

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For details of membership benefits, application forms and information about tournaments and programmes see www.ciga.ky

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Team Jamaica has won the 2019 CGA Four Ball Championships as well as 4 out of the 5 other categories.  In addition to the coveted Ambrose Gouthro Cup for the Overall Best Performing Country in the Championships, Jamaica secured the Francis & Steele-Perkins Cup for Men 50+, the Higgs & Higgs Trophy (men 60+), the Maria Nunes Trophy (Ladies 35+), and the Dessie Henry Trophy (Ladies 50+).

"Congratulations to Jamaica on Winning the 2019 CGA-Fourball Championships," says Sidney Wolf, CGA President. "I'm also very proud of runners-up Puerto Rico and winners in each category. All the golfers competed at their best this week despite weather challenges on the course."

With a field of 62 golfers from 8 countries, the final overall standings are Jamaica at 66 points, Puerto Rico (59), Bahamas (36), Cayman Islands (34), Barbados (33), Trinidad & Tobago (21), Turks & Caicos Islands (17), and US Virgin Islands (11).
 
“Extremely proud of the effort and fight displayed by Team Jamaica this week,” says Jamaican Team Manager Johnny Newnham. “The group was united under one mission and they committed themselves to the process of being the best on each and every shot. A lot of hard work went in the preparation for this event, and that allowed them to go out there and have fun and enjoy competing. It has been a long time since Jamaica won as a team in the Caribbean; this was a well-earned victory.”
 
After dominating throughout the event, Jamaicans Mark Newnham and Sean Morris take home the Francis & Steele-Perkins Cup. With overall 17 birdies and 3 bogeys, they win with the best score of the championships, a whopping 14-under par for 202.  Second-up are their team-mates Rory Jardine and Owen Samuda with 3-over at 219.

In the Ramon Baez Romano Trophy Flight, winners Erick Morales and Tommy Smith of Puerto Rico held the top spot for all three rounds ending with an overall 11-under for 205. During the competition they posted 15 birdies with 2 bogeys and a double bogey.  Runners-up were Peter McIntosh and Lynford Miller of Bahamas with 3-over at 219.
 
Jamaicans Dorrel Allen and Robert Chin won the Higgs & Higgs Trophy with 4-over par for 220.  Their team-mates Peter Chin and George Hugh followed with 15-over at 231.
 
In the ladies flights, Jodi Munn-Barrow and Alison Reid of Jamaica win the Maria Nunes Trophy with 253, followed by Puerto Rico’s Rebekah Alfond and Marilina Silen at 263.  Jamaica’s Michelle Gabay and Maggie Lyn won the Dessie Henry Trophy with 239. Runners-up Amoy Chang Fong and Pauline Raynor of Trinidad and Tobago ended the 254.

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The next time that you see 16-year-old Aaron Jarvis, he will be starting a new career path at the Leadbetter Junior Golf Academy and completing his final two years of high school at The Crenshaw School near Orlando, Florida.

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Starting August, he will have the opportunity to compete against quality players from across the United States and the World, and to obtain a golf scholarship to a Division 1 university.

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But for now, he is basking in his recent success at back-to-back tournaments, having placed third at the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships at Albany, Bahamas, and 10th at the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships on the Blue Monster Course in Doral, Florida.

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“It’s my first year playing in the Boys 16‑18 Category in both tournaments, and to finish Top 5 and Top 10 in the tournaments feels amazing. I did pretty well on two of the courses, being at Professional Golfers’ Association level, and just happy with the way it all turned out. I am looking forward to working with the best Pro golfers at Leadbetter Junior Golf Academy,” Jarvis said.

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He is taking the first steps in his goal to become a professional golfer by practising hard and playing in tournaments, and aiming to shoot under par with the assistance of professional coaching.

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Best of Luck Aaron!!

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The Cayman Islands national men’s golf team came up short of repeating as tops in the region Friday (5 July) finishing third overall at the 63rd Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships at the Case de Campo in the Dominican Republic.

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After dropping to fourth overall and +52 strokes over par to finish round three, Cayman fought back to finish +65 over par for the tournament ahead of Jamaica (4th, +70), Trinidad & Tobago (5th, +88) Barbados (6th, +95) and Bahamas (7th, +100).

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Leading the way was 2019 national champion Andrew Jarvis. The 20-year-old finished with his second below-par round of the week at one -1 under 70 for the day, tying him for fourth overall in the individual men’s standings.

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15-year-old Justin Hastings was +2 over par to finish tied for 13th overall, while Payten Wight was +3 over on the day and finished 15th overall for the tournament. 15-year-old Aaron Jarvis was +10 over for round four and finished tied for 25th for the week, while newcomers Barry Daly (+9) finished 27th overall, with Cameron Leitch +25 over and 42nd for the championships.

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“I am proud of their efforts this week,” said Head Coach Erick Fowler. “They fought hard through some tough times to pull out a strong third place. In the end, we couldn’t avoid some high scores in certain areas of the golf course, had a tough time with some of the many wind changes throughout the week, and missed quite a few key putts.”

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The Hoerman Cup – awarded to the top men’s team – went to host nation Dominican Republic who finished just +17 over par for the tournament based on the top four of six individual scores. Puerto Rico finished second overall at +37 over par. Dominican Juan Jose Guerra was the top individual male golfer shooting even par for the tournament.

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“Congratulations to the Dominican Republic for some great golf this week along with Puerto Rico,” said Fowler. “Very deserving champions in both categories. Thank you to the Dominican Republic and FedoGolf put on a very good tournament.”

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In the battle for the George Teale trophy – awarded to the top women’s team – Puerto Rico repeated as champions shooting a tournament-best +8 over par. Cayman finished 7th out of seven countries with a combined score of +89 over par. 14-year-old Holly McLean was the top female golfer for Cayman finishing +13 over par for round four and +31 over par for the tournament, good for 11th overall in the individual standings. Lauren Needham was +19 over on the final day and +58 over for the tournament, finishing 22nd overall.

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“A great performance by our two young junior ladies in representing their country can’t be forgotten,” said Fowler. “We can take a lot of positives away from this week by all, and we can take the negatives and build on the upcoming year to be even better prepared.”

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After finishing second overall in 2018, Puerto Rican Yudika Rodriguez was the top women’s golfer in the individual standings with the best score of the tournament – male or female – shooting -1 under par 70.

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View all the results here.

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View Photo Gallery here.

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Amateur golfers Andrew Jarvis and Holly McLean each claimed their first national title at the 27th Cayman Islands Golf Association (CIGA) National Amateur Championships held 27-28 April at the North Sound Golf Club.

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Jarvis, 20, equaled a course record with a first round -7 under-par 64, followed by an even-par 71 to win by six strokes. Younger brother Aaron along with Barry Daly would finish second shooting one-under-par, with 2018 national champion Payten Wight finishing fourth at six-over-par. 15-old Justin Hastings rounded out the top five at seven-over-par in fifth.

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“North Sound had the golf course in such great condition heading into the weekend, everything seemed perfect,” Jarvis told Cayman 27. “I’ve never seen pins and tees located like this, it was so fun. I had a game plan heading into the weekend which was to go out and hit fairways and greens, and hopefully, some putts would drop. Saturday just felt easy. Everything was working for me. My game planned worked and my putt started to fall.”

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Jarvis joins Trinidad & Tobago’s Brian Martin and PGA professional Brian Davies as just the third golfer to ever shoot -7 under-par 64 at the North Sound Golf Course. Jarvis says his brother Aaron made an aggressive final round push.

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“Sunday was a little bit different,” said Jarvis. “I stuck to my game plan, but there was the added pressure of trying to keep the lead. Aaron did not that easy, and fired through the first 10 holes. Overall, I’m happy with my game,  and happy that everything came together this weekend.”

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After success at the junior level that includes a Caribbean title, McLean shot 13 over-par to claim her first Cayman Islands senior crown. The 14-year-old finished eight strokes ahead of second place finisher, 2018 national champion Emily Ribbins.

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“It was great, I had a really good long game,” said McLean.”Everything was close to the hole, within 20-feet. Putting wasn’t there but it’s good to know that I won without my best game.

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Ian Lomas claimed a one-stroke victory in the Senior Championships, while Tracy Moore took the Super Senior title.

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View the scores from the 27th CIGA National Amateur Championships click here

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The Caribbean’s reigning Under-15 Boys golf champion started 2019 with a bang.

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In his first tournament appearance, Cayman’s Aaron Jarvis finished 50th overall shooting +18 over-par (306) at the 2019 Latin American Amateur Golf Championships 17-20 January, held at the Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic.

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After shooting +4 over-par on day one, the 16-year old rallied on day two to make the cut with his best round of the tournament shooting just +1 over-par (73). Jarvis followed with a round three 77 (+5) and a final round 80 (+8).

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In his fourth appearance, 2018 Cayman Islands Golf Association (CIGA) national champion Payten Wight missed the cut after shooting an opening day 81 (+9) and a round two 77 (+5).

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Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz shot -14 under-par (276) to win both the tournament and entry into the 2019 PGA Masters.

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See Interview with Cayman 27 Jordan Armenise here.

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Reigning Cayman Islands Golf Association (CIGA) national champion Payten Wight and 2018 Under-15 Boys Caribbean champion Aaron Jarvis are off the Casa del Campo in the Dominican Republic for the 2019 Latin American Amateur Golf Championships held 17-20 January.

Wight, 24, who will be caddied by father Michael, says he’s looking to rebounding after rough Round One of the CIGA National Team qualifiers where he shot +6 over-par, leaving him in a tie for sixth overall.

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“It’s a great experience as well, I just have to work on a few putting things, and I should be good,” said Wight. “I’m hitting the ball well, so looking forward to it.”

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Jarvis, 15, is coming off a busy summer that saw him finish top-30 at the 2018 Junior Open Championships as well as helping Cayman to 58th overall at the 31st World Team Amateur Championship in Ireland. Jarvis will be caddied by older brother Andrew.

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Both Jarvis and Wight secured spots at the regional tournament by finishing as Cayman’s top two golfers (T3rd overall, +3) in August’s Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships. The winner of the Latin American Amateur Championships gains entry to the 2019 PGA Masters.

View the entire field of the 2019 Latin American Amateur Golf Championships here.

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CIGA has confirmed the CGA has announced the 2019 Caribbean Classic to be hosted in the Dominican Republic between May 7-11, 2019.

Follow the link below for more information...

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CIGA is proud to have Mr. Wayne Joyce outline the New 2019 Rules of Golf and an open Q &A

Wayne (Jon's Father!) has graciously volunteered to conduct a Rules Seminar in advance of the new rules coming into effect on January 1, 2019.

Wayne became involved in the Rules of Golf and officiating at provincial championships with Golf Saskatchewan in the early 1990's. He then progressed to officiating rules at national championships with Golf Canada.  He has been fortunate to officiate at events in Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Mr. Joyce was also a board member of Golf Saskatchewan and for 10 years was on the board of Golf Canada as Governor for Saskatchewan. 

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A highlight of his term at Golf Canada was accompanying the Canadian Junior 
Team to the International Team Championship in Japan.

In addition to officiating rules, he is also involved in course rating as part of the teams that 
annually update ratings in the province of Saskatchewan.  

Please come out and learn more about the new Rules and enjoy and evening with your fellow golfers! 

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The Cayman Islands National Golf Team followed up the Country’s first ever Caribbean men’s amateur team championship with a second-place finish at the Caribbean Golf Association Four Ball Championship, held this past last weekend at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The event showcased the best mid-amateur (35+), senior (50+) and super-senior (60+) golfers in the region. The format had two-person teams in each division compete over three rounds.  Puerto Rico won the overall team title, while Barbados finished third.  

The second-place finish represents Cayman’s best ever finish in the event. Leading the way were Michael and Philip Wight, who won the Francis & Steele-Perkins Cup in the senior division, finishing the weekend at seven under par, eight shots better than Puerto Rico. Joe DiFilippo and Robert Woods finished the weekend in eighth place.

Stephen Heal and Tracy Moore were second in the super-senior division, finishing six shots back of the Bahamas. Nitti Howe and Rocio Esau also contributed a second place finish in the women’s mid-amateur division.

Rounding out the men’s competition, Jason Perras and Joel Dodson finished the weekend at two under par in the mid-amateur division, good for a fourth place finish. Barbados was the class of the tourney, finishing six shots clear of Puerto Rico at eighteen under par. Stuart Reed and Tom Dillon finished eighth in the division.

Cayman Island Golf Association President Paul Woodhouse reacting to the results from the event said. “What an incredible year 2018 is proving to be for golf in Cayman.  Congratulations to all our players who took part in this event and who worked hard to achieve this great result.  The icing on the cake is to have brothers Michael and Philip Wight as Caribbean Senior Champions; a fantastic achievement.”

The 2018 competitive golf season winds down in early December with the President’s Trophy event at the North Sound Golf Club. The 2019 competitive golf season starts up in early January with National Team qualifying, which runs through March. For more information, please visit ciga.ky.

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Full Results (Click Here) 

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Cayman national golfers finished tied for 58th overall after four rounds of golf at the Cardon House Golf Club in Ireland for the 31st World Amateur Team Championships.

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Cayman finished +28 over-par using the average of it’s two top scores.

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Leading the way was 14-year old Justin Hastings, shooting +12 over-par for the tournament. Hastings finished strong with back-to-back rounds of +2 over-par 74 to close the tournament. He finished in a tie for 141st.

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Under-15 Caribbean champion Aaron Jarvis finished in a tie for 161st. Jarvis shot a team best +1 over-par 73 in the final round for an overall score of +17 over-par.

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2018 National Champion Payten Wight finished 182nd with an overall +26 over-par. Wight opened the tournament +10 over par, but followed in round two with his best performance, shooting just +3 over-par.

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Full Results (Click Here) 

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Cayman 27 Report (Click Here) 

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Trailing five strokes entering the final round of play Friday (3 August) Cayman’s national men’s golfers fought back to win the Cayman Islands Golf Association’s (CIGA) first ever Hoerman Cup at the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships held at the North Sound Golf Club.

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Cayman finished +19 over-par for the tournament and -3 under-par for the day based on the average of the top four of six individual scores. Day three leader Trinidad & Tobago fell to third (+27) with Dominican Republic claiming second overall (+24).

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Team Cayman were led by both national champion Payten Wight, who shot a final round -2 under-par 69, and Under-15 Caribbean Junior champion Aaron Jarvis, who finished the round shooting -1 under-par 70.

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“I can’t describe, it’s awesome, first Hoerman Cup, and it’s on home soil. All our hard work, and it paid off. Last night, Erick spoke to us, and said just play your game. It’s a dream come true, to do it for my country, it’s amazing” said Wight.

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The duo, along with Andrew Jarvis’ bounce back performance of -2 under-par 69 in the final round, and Brian Ross (+7 overall, final round 73) gave Cayman four golfers in the top 10 of the individual standings. Jarvis said the win was special.

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“I couldn’t be so happy for the team, we played so well this week. This is my fifth Hoerman Cup, I finished the round strong today compared to yesterday. Today was just, go out, play golf, and have some fun.”

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TT’s Wan Joo Lee shot a final round +1 over-par 72 to finish -5 under-par to finish atop the men’s individual standings.

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Puerto Rico solidified their dominant performance to claim the George Teale Trophy finished -5 under-par for the day and -6 under-par for the tournament. The team was led by 18-year old Valeria Pacheco who shot a final round -5 under-par 66 to finish -4 under-par for the tournament. This was the Puerto Rican’s first Caribbean title in this, her fifth appearance.

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“It means a lot, this is a great tournament, and there’s a lot of great players. I’m just happy I got out here and played as good as I did” said Pacheco.

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Pacheco, and TT’s Joo Lee, were the only two golfers to finish under-par for the tournament. The Puerto Rican women took four of the top six spots in the individual standings.

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Cayman’s top female performer was Caribbean junior champion Holly McLean who shot a final round 79 to finish +34 over-par, good for 15th overall. Cayman finished 6th overall in the George Teale standings with a combined +72 over-par.

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Full Results (Click Here) 

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Cayman 27 Report (Click Here) 

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Cayman Compass Report (Click Here) 

The Cayman Islands Golf Association (CIGA) sixth and final round of the national team qualifiers teed up Sunday (29 April) with 1o players emerging to represent the country at this year’s Caribbean Amateur Championships starting 31 July at the North Sound Golf Club.

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In the ‘Hoerman Cup’, six golfers made the cut including 2018 CIGA Amateur Champion Payten Wight who gained automatic entry with his March victory. Wight placed 1st overall with a +1 over par cumulative best (four of six scores). Aaron Jarvis shot a final round best 71 to place second overall for the six-round tournament. Brian Ross placed third overall shooting a final round 73 to make the cut. After shooting a first round 69, veteran Michael Wight shot 76 to close out the tournament, good for fourth overall. 2017 CIGA Amateur Champion Justin Hastings sat out the final round of play after shooting a fifth round men’s best 67.

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The trio of Andrew Jarvis, Joel Dodson and Giles Hobday battled for the sixth and final spot. With the group all finishing with a final round 76, Jarvis claimed the final spot with an overall cumulative best of +14 over par, edging out Hobday (+18) and Dodson (+19).

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In the ‘George Teal Cup’, veteran Nitti Howe’s final round 84 solidified her spot atop the women’s division finishing with a total +45 over par. 13-year-old Holly McLean finished with a final round ladies best 82 to place second overall with a cumulative score of +50 over par. Isabel Mendes claimed the third spot with a overall +52 over par. Emily Ribbins gained automatic entry onto the team with her CIGA Amateur Championship but still managed to shoot 77, 83 and 85 in her three rounds of action.

The 2018 Caribbean Amateur Championships takes place 31st July to 3rd August at the North Sound Golf Club.

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Full Results (Click Here) 

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CIGA is seeking volunteers to help with the Championships, (30th July- 3rd August) knowledge of golf not required!  Anyone interested please get in touch with CIGA – contact details and a volunteer sign-up option are on the website.

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Some familiar names took the honours at this year’s TRAC Cayman Islands Amateur Championships, organized by the Cayman Island Golf Association (CIGA).

This championship takes place over two days and has four divisions, Super Senior, Seniors,  Ladies and Men.  A handicap competition is run concurrently, a total of 55 golfers took part.

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The competition was held at the North Sound Golf Club, which is the host course for the 62nd Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship which is scheduled for 31st July – 3rd August. Talking about the event CIGA president Paul Woodhouse thanked Director of Golf Erick Fowler and his team for their help throughout the Championship and particularly commended them on the course set-up over the two days.  “The players enjoyed the tough but fair way in which the course was set up, with some real variation in tee locations making everyone think hard about their game.  Conditions were windy, especially on Saturday, which made some of the holes particularly challenging.  It was fantastic to get a taste of the variety and type of challenge the course can offer which augurs well for the major regional event this summer.”

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Presenting the trophies Nigel Kellow TRAC General Manager, congratulated everyone who took part and confirmed the company’s intention to continue in 2019.

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Super Senior victory went to Stephen Heal, his first win in this division, coming exactly 10 years after his triumph in the seniors.  Senior Champion Scott Kapuscinski defended for the third time, seeing off the challenge of Paul Woodhouse who finished runner up for a second year.

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The new Cayman Island’s Ladies champion is Emily Ribbins who adds her name on the trophy to that of her mother Siobhan – who has won it on four occasions.  Emily beat two previous champions Isabel Mendes and Nitti Howe, the winner in 2017, and two of the island’s very promising juniors Lauren Needham and Holly McLean (both aged 13).  Holly finished in second place overall.  Emily has returned home to work in Cayman after her time at Quinnipiac University where she combined her studies with playing on the golf team.  In her senior year, together with her four team mates, she successfully defended their MAAC title (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference).  

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The final familiar family name belongs to the Men’s Amateur Champion for 2018, Payten Wight.  Playing in the final group on Sunday with his father Michael, a previous Cayman Amateur Champion, Payten shot an even par 71 to add to the three under 68 on Saturday giving him a winning total of 139.  The lowest in recent years, possibly ever.  Runner up was Aaron Jarvis on 147 with Joel Dodson and defending champion Justin Hastings tied in 3rd on 149.

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Emily and Payten are the first players on the Cayman Islands National Team sheet for the Caribbean Championship.  The other five men and three ladies will be confirmed after the conclusion of the qualifying competition at the end of April.

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Winners of the Handicap event were Men; Greg O’Driscoll, Ladies; Susan Dasher and Super Seniors; Vladimir Bakk.

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Full Results (Click Here) and details of the 62nd Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship can be found on www.ciga.ky. 

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CIGA is seeking volunteers to help with the Championships, (30th July- 3rd August) knowledge of golf not required!  Anyone interested please get in touch with CIGA – contact details and a volunteer sign-up option are on the website.

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Click for Cayman Sports Buzz Story

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Click for Cayman Compass Story

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2 March 2018, St Andrews, Scotland and Liberty Corner, N.J., USA: The R&A and the USGA have unveiled the new Rules of Golf, to be implemented on 1 January 2019. 

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The R&A and the USGA finalised golf’s new Rules this month after an extensive review that included a request for feedback from the global golf community on the proposed changes. Golfers can now access the official 2019 Rules of Golf by visiting RandA.org or usga.org/rules. 

The process to modernise the Rules began in 2012 and was initiated to ensure that the Rules are easier to understand and apply for all golfers and to make the game more attractive and accessible for newcomers.  

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While the majority of proposed Rules remain intact in the final version, several important changes to the initial proposals and further clarification of many Rules were incorporated. The most significant adjustments made following review of the feedback received from golfers around the world include:

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• Dropping procedure: When taking relief (from an abnormal course condition or penalty area, for example), golfers will now drop from knee height. This will ensure consistency and simplicity in the dropping process while also preserving the randomness of the drop. (Key change: the proposed Rules released in 2017 suggested dropping from any height).
   

• Measuring in taking relief: The golfer’s relief area will be measured by using the longest club in his/her bag (other than a putter) to measure one club-length or two club-lengths, depending on the situation, providing a consistent process for golfers to establish his/her relief area. (Key change: the proposed Rules released in 2017 suggested a 20-inch or 80-inch standard measurement).
   

• Removing the penalty for a double hit:  The penalty stroke for accidentally striking the ball more than once in the course of a stroke has been removed. Golfers will simply count the one stroke they made to strike the ball.  (Key change: the proposed Rules released in 2017 included the existing one-stroke penalty).
   

• Balls Lost or Out of Bounds: Alternative to Stroke and Distance:  A new Local Rule will now be available in January 2019, permitting committees to allow golfers the option to drop the ball in the vicinity of where the ball is lost or out of bounds (including the nearest fairway area), under a two-stroke penalty. It addresses concerns raised at the club level about the negative impact on pace of play when a player is required to go back under stroke and distance. The Local Rule is not intended for higher levels of play, such as professional or elite level competitions. (Key change:  this is a new addition to support pace of play)

David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said, “We are pleased to be introducing the new Rules of Golf after a collaborative and wide-ranging review process which has embraced the views of golfers, rules experts and administrators worldwide. We believe that the new Rules are more in tune with what golfers would like and are easier to understand and apply for everyone who enjoys playing this great game.”

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 “We’re thankful for the golfers, administrators and everyone in the game who took the time to provide us with great insight and thoughtful feedback,” said USGA Senior Director of Rules & Amateur Status, Thomas Pagel. “We couldn’t be more excited to introduce the new Rules ahead of their education and implementation.” 

Major proposals introduced in 2017 that have been incorporated into the modernised Rules include:

• Elimination or reduction of “ball moved” penalties: There will be no penalty for accidentally moving a ball on the putting green or in searching for a ball; and a player is not responsible for causing a ball to move unless it is “virtually certain” that he or she did so.
   

• Relaxed putting green rules: There will be no penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits an unattended flagstick in the hole; players may putt without having the flagstick attended or removed. Players may repair spike marks and other damage made by shoes, animal damage and other damage on the putting green and there is no penalty for merely touching the line of putt.
   

• Relaxed rules for “penalty areas” (currently called “water hazards”): Red and yellow-marked penalty areas may cover areas of desert, jungle, lava rock, etc., in addition to areas of water; expanded use of red penalty areas where lateral relief is allowed; and there will be no penalty for moving loose impediments or touching the ground or water in a penalty area.
   

• Relaxed bunker rules: There will be no penalty for moving loose impediments in a bunker or for generally touching the sand with a hand or club. A limited set of restrictions (such as not grounding the club right next to the ball) is kept to preserve the challenge of playing from the sand; however, an extra relief option is added for an unplayable ball in a bunker, allowing the ball to be played from outside the bunker with a two-stroke penalty.
   

• Relying on player integrity: A player’s “reasonable judgment” when estimating or measuring a spot, point, line, area or distance will be upheld, even if video evidence later shows it to be wrong; and elimination of announcement procedures when lifting a ball to identify it or to see if it is damaged.
   

• Pace-of-play support: Reduced time for searching for a lost ball (from five minutes to three); affirmative encouragement of “ready golf” in stroke play; recommending that players take no more than 40 seconds to play a stroke and other changes intended to help with pace of play.

Presented in digital, text-based form today, the new Rules will also now be translated into more than 30 languages and readied for final delivery via print and digital formats, including searchable Rules of Golf official apps developed by The R&A and the USGA.

Three important publications, to be distributed in September, will help players as well as officials and provide interpretation and guidance in how the Rules are applied:  

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• The Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf: An abridged, user-friendly set of the Rules with shorter sentences, commonly used phrases, and diagrams. Written in the “second person,” The Player’s Edition is intended to be the primary publication for golfers.
   

• The Rules of Golf: The full edition of the Rules will be written in the third person and include illustrations. It is intended to be a more thorough version of the revised Rules.
   

• The Official Guide to the Rules of Golf: This “guidebook” replaces the Decisions book and will contain information to best support committees and officials. It includes interpretations on the Rules, committee procedures (available local rules and information on establishing the terms of the competition), and the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities. It is a comprehensive resource document intended as a supplementary publication. 

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More than 30 “how-to apply” videos and a summary of the principal changes are now available at usga.org/rules.  Additional education tools will be released in September.  

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Players are reminded that the current edition of the Rules of Golf (2016) must be applied when playing, posting scores or competing for the remainder of 2018. The Rules of Amateur Status and the Rules of Equipment Standards were not part of this review process.   

As an extension of their support of the Rules of Golf worldwide, Rolex has made a commitment to support The R&A and the USGA’s efforts to modernise golf’s Rules. The Swiss watchmaker’s contribution to excellence in golf is based on a rich heritage stretching back more than 50 years, forged through pivotal partnerships at every level of the game, from the sport’s leading professional and amateur competitions and organisations, to players at the pinnacle of their sport worldwide.

CIGA was invited to take part in this exhibition which was held at the George Town, Town Hall on Heroes Day 2018.

CIGA had a booth which displayed information about the association including the public schools and junior development programmes, on island championships and highlighted our international golfers’ success.  As an interactive element the “SNAG” (starting new at golf) putting was set up.

It was also an ideal opportunity to promote the upcoming 62nd Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship which is being hosted by Cayman at the North Sound Golf Club in August.

Thanks to all who worked on this and attended to be in our booth- especially Robin and Lana Jarvis who coordinated.  We were delighted to have the Junior National Team Coach Tim Dwyer there along with some of the juniors and parents.

The Cayman Islands Golf Association marked its 25th anniversary at the annual President’s Trophy event presented by Cayman National Bank on Saturday. In his opening introduction, Association President Paul Woodhouse announced one of the original founders of CIGA, David Bird, had been elected to the Caribbean Golf Association’s Hall of Fame.

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The tournament was played at the North Sound Golf Club. The President’s Trophy is contested over one round of 18 holes and is a stroke play handicap event with the winners being determined as those with the lowest net score. The handicaps of the competitors on Saturday ranged from +4, an almost professional standard, to 36. One of the benefits of CIGA membership is that players can gain and maintain a United States Golf Association handicap, which is recognized worldwide.

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The age range of the entrants, from 12 to more than 70, also illustrated the fact that golf can be played and enjoyed by people of all ages. Thirty-one golfers contested the men’s event with the trophy going to Daniel Fortune, with a score of 68. Runner-up was Jason Perras, who also finished with a 68. The tie was broken in accordance to the rules of the competition. Neil Edwards took third with 71.

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Winner of the Ladies competition was Siobhan Ribbins with a net score of 71 and the runner-up was Maria Butler with 72. In the senior men’s category for men aged 50 years and above, the winner was Karoly Szucs with a net score of 66. Scott Kapuscinski finished second on 69. The super seniors division, for men above 60, was won by Andy Newton with a score of 67. Joe Brickner was runner-up with 72.

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During the trophy presentation, CIGA President Paul Woodhouse thanked Cayman National Bank for their support over the past three years of the association’s community golf development program and for extending this support for a further three years for junior golf development. Cayman National Bank Executive Vice President Brian Esau was at the ceremony to present the trophies to the winners and to hand over the first year’s sponsorship check for the new CIGA junior golf program, which is an alliance with the world-renowned Leadbetter Golf Academy.

CIGA Member Susan Dasher celebrates a Hole in One on Number 13 at the North Sound Golf Club as part of the 25th President's Trophy Tournament on November 25, 2017.

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In 2017 CIGA added insurance for members which included a provision for a "Hole in One" during a CIGA Event.  $300US went towards to the bar bill!

Andrew Jarvis is the first junior boy to defend his title as Junior Champion with Justin Hastings coming a close second. Justin was pressuring Andrew from the start of the second round coming out of the gates, birding both 1 and 2 to cut into his lead. It was a battle throughout the day for both of these boys and with Aaron Jarvis cruising as well it added more pressure. Coming down the stretch both Justin and Aaron were playing consistently and were pushing Andrew but he held them off and cruised to a 2 shot victory. 

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Holly Mclean successfully defended her title over Lauren Needham. Both the girls played extremely well throughout the tournament. 

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In the younger division Danny Lyne successfully cruised to a 4 shot victory over Sam Mclean. 

An excellent final day for the Cayman men’s team, securing 3rd place in the tournament overall - this is by some margin our best ever performance away from home soil (placed 2nd in Cayman in 2008). The team scores counting today were 73, 74, 74, 74. 

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Conditions today were windy from the beginning with softer greens from overnight rain.

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13 year old Justin (73) – the youngest player in these Championships - capped off an amazing Hoerman Cup debut with more steady golf to shoot his lowest round of the week. Payten (74) got off to a fast start and kept the round going steady to finish with a solid score. Andrew (74) played solidly and kept grinding to the finish line. 14 year old Aaron (74) battled superbly after being 3 over par through 3 holes to finish the round 3 over par.

The team are all happy with the final result after a good performance by all. It’s a long, high pressured week of golf, extremely demanding both physically and mentally and it’s very easy to lose focus or get down on yourself. Special thanks go to Erick Fowler, Team Coach and Director of Gold at NSGC) for his invaluable role in keeping spirits and morale up and working so supportively with everyone to make this one of the best week’s ever in Cayman golf history.

A final thanks also to our generous uniform sponsors Eats/Legendz/Yoshi and RSM and to the teams at North Sound Golf Club and The Ritz Carlton Golf Club for all their considerable support in the running of the National Team Qualifiers and specifically for these Championships.

REMEMBER – NEXT STOP IS THE 62nd CARIBBEAN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS HERE IN CAYMAN FROM 30th JULY TO 3rd AUGUST, 2018.

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18TH CIGA PAIRS – 24th June 2017

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The annual CIGA PAIRS golf tournament presented by Eats/Legends/Yoshi was held on 24th June at the North Sound Golf Club. This event is traditionally one of the biggest in the island’s golfing calendar and this year was no exception with 88 golfers, in teams of two, taking part.

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CIGA Secretary Emma Woodhouse said.  “I think this event is particularly popular with the members because you play in a team of two which can be made up of men, ladies or mixed. It is a competitive tournament but there is a little less individual pressure -  its great fun. The format also showcases really well how golf is a game that can be enjoyed by all ages, the range of the competitors this year was 12 years old to 70+”

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For many it was a family affair, with several fathers and sons, husbands and wives teams, one set of brothers and an uncle and nephew pairing. Because it is a handicap competition, players new to the game were able to compete against internationals. 

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Winners on the day were Kelli Dawson and William Koutney with a net score of 61.  Closely followed by Daniel Kirckonnell and Philip Wight, and Greg O’Driscoll and Andrew Linford who both scored 62.

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Winners of the low gross (without handicap) were brothers Andrew and Aaron Jarvis with a score of 66.  Andrew and Aaron are part of the 9 member Cayman Junior Team who will be competing in the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships in Trinidad, 3-7th July.

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The Golf Association were pleased to be able to mark 24th June as Olympic Day, by holding an Olympic Day Skills Challenge as part of the tournament.  Winners of the closest to the pin competitions were Richard Laws and Emma Woodhouse.

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The North Sound Golf Club will be hosting an event to celebrate Women's Golf Day on June 6, 2017.  Instructional Clinic, Golf and Socializing will all be part of the outing!

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Click the link below for details.

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See www.ciga.ky for information about membership, upcoming golf events, development programmes,

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The Cayman Islands Golf Association (CIGA) is delighted to confirm the team of golfers who will represent the Cayman Islands at the upcoming Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships which will be held at the Casa De Campo resort in the Dominican Republic at the end of July.  This event is the premier regional event and brings together the top amateur golfers in the region who compete over four rounds for the Hoerman Cup.

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Justin Hastings (age 13) current Cayman Islands Amateur Champion secured his spot with his win in March, Justin is also a member of the junior national team.

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The following five won their places as a result of their scores in the 6 round qualifying series:

Brian Ross, who placed first in qualifying and was the top ranked Cayman player in the last two Championships.

Michael and Payten Wight, a father and son duo who have represented Cayman at numerous top ranking international tournaments including the Latin American and Caribbean Amateur Championships, and World Amateur Team Championships.

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Andrew Jarvis, 18, is on both the Junior and Senior Cayman teams this year and has represented his country in numerous international events including the Latin American and World event.

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Aaron Jarvis, 14, (Andrew’s brother) who is on the junior team has made the senior squad for the first time this year.  Aaron won his age division at the Caribbean Juniors in 2016.

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The team will benefit from the advice and assistance of PGA Professional Erick Fowler, Director of Golf at the North Sound Golf club who has been appointed as team coach and who will be working with the team both before and at the event.

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See www.ciga.ky for information about membership, upcoming golf events, development programmes,

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The Cayman Islands Golf Association organized the 25th running of the National Amateur Championships at the North Sound Golf Club on Saturday & Sunday 18th & 19th March 2017.  The event comprises four Championship divisions.  A separate handicap event for both men and ladies also runs at the same time.

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The Senior and Super Senior divisions saw the 2016 Champions successfully defend their titles.  Super -Senior (60+) Braden Howe was pushed hard on Sunday by Bill Knibloe but eventually triumphed after a great tussle.  Senior (50+) Scott Kapuscinski shot a strong first round level par 71 in windy conditions and consolidated his lead with a two over 73 in round 2 to keep his hands on the trophy.  There were some good scores in the chasing pack with Paul Woodhouse’s second day 77 earning him the runner up spot, 2 shots ahead of Mick Whitworth.

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Things got very exciting in the Ladies event with Caribbean Mid-Amateur teammates Orapin (Nitti) Howe and Isabel Mendes being pushed by national junior team player Holly McLean, who was playing in the event for the first time.  Only 3 shots separated them at the end of 36 holes – with Nitti and Isabel tied for the lead. It took a 2 hole playoff to decide the winner; with Nitti sinking a nervy 3 foot putt on the 18th green, in front a large crowd of spectators, to clinch the victory over last year’s champion Isabel.

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The Men’s Championship event has always been a closely contested one and this year was no exception.  First and second place after day one were held by 14 and 18 year old brothers Aaron and Andrew Jarvis, followed closely by Brian Ross, Tracy Moore, Justin Hastings and Stefano Franceschi.  Brian and Aaron had a close fought battle in the final group with Brian coming out one shot ahead. However, Justin Hastings, who played in the group in front, put on a Sunday afternoon charge (in the style of the late great Arnold Palmer who’s Bay Hill tournament was being played in Orlando), shooting a fantastic 67 (4 under par) to take the title by 2. 

In his speech, before presenting 13 year old Justin with the trophy, CIGA President Paul Woodhouse recalled the prescient words of last year’s champion: that it was unlikely that anyone over 20 years of age would win for a while but admitted that no one envisaged the winner being 13 – the youngest ever.

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Allen Bernardo, owner of the title sponsors TRAC Automotive, attended to present the trophies and prizes and announced a commitment to continue sponsoring golf in 2018. This news was very warmly received as Cayman will be hosting The Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships in 2018.  This prestigious annual regional tournament involves around 80 of the top golfers from across the region.

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The Men’s handicap division was won by Cormac Sheehan, with a tie for second between Jason Perras, Daniel Fortune and James Walton.  The ladies event was won by Lauren Needham, who at age 12 has made the national junior team for the first time this year, with Diane Brazelton runner up.

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See www.ciga.ky for information about membership, upcoming golf events, development programmes,

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CAYMAN 27 REPORT

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CAYMAN SPORTS BUZZ REPORT

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May 3rd -7th , 2017 Hosted by Paradisus Palma Real and Cocotal Golf & Country Club

CIGA is sending teams to compete in both these regional events.

Following four rounds of qualifying, two each at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club and North Sound Golf Club teams for four out of five divisions at the Caribbean Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship were chosen.  Unfortunately, due to injury, there is no senior ladies team this year.

The championship is a scratch better ball competition contested over three rounds, played on the same course.  The golfers who will be representing Cayman are:

Ladies:   30+                                       Isabel Mendes & Nitti Howe

Men’s Mid- Amateur:                         Tracy More & Ian Lomas

Men’s Senior:                                     Robert Woods & Garth MacDonald

Men’s Super- Senior:                         Mick Whitworth & Stephen Heal

As it has done for a number of years, CIGA is also supporting players taking part in the Caribbean Classic, a modified Stableford event played in handicap divisions, which is run alongside the Championships.  The golfers in this event play on three different courses.

A qualifying round for these team places was held on 28th January it was organized in handicap divisions, which were set up to mirror those at the Classic. The following seven players won spots on the team.

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Ladies:  Dianne Brazelton & Maria Butler

Men: Andrew Jarvis, Ger Finnegan, Andrew Linford, Greg O’Driscoll & Andy Wells. 

In addition to these seven, CIGA is delighted that several more golfers are travelling from Cayman to take part in the event.  The more participants from each country the better the chances of winning!

For information about the Caribbean Classic go to the Tournament Registration page. 

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The R&A and the USGA have unveiled a preview of the proposed new Rules of Golf, as part of a joint initiative to modernise the Rules and make them easier to understand and apply.
 
The online release of this preview begins a six-month feedback and evaluation period during which all golfers worldwide can learn about the proposed changes and provide input before they are finalised in 2018 and take effect on 1 January 2019.
 
The announcement follows a comprehensive review process that began in 2012 with a working group of key R&A and USGA Rules administrators, professional tour officials and other Rules experts. While the Rules are revised every four years, this is the first fundamental review since 1984, and was established to ensure the Rules fit the needs of today’s game and the way it is played around the world.   
 
David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said, “Our aim is to make the Rules easier to understand and to apply for all golfers. We have looked at every Rule to try to find ways to make them more intuitive and straightforward, and we believe we have identified many significant improvements. It is important that the Rules continue to evolve and remain in tune with the way the modern game is played, but we have been careful not to change the game’s longstanding principles and character.”
“We are excited and encouraged by the potential this work brings, both through the proposed new Rules and the opportunities to use technology to deliver them,” said Thomas Pagel, Senior Director of Rules & Amateur Status for the USGA. “We look forward to an ongoing conversation with golfers during the feedback period in the months ahead.”
 
The Rules are currently delivered in more than 30 languages, and the proposed wording will support easier translation worldwide. When adopted, the Rules will be supported by technology that allows the use of images, videos and graphics.
Highlights of the proposed Rule changes include:

 Elimination or reduction of “ball moved” penalties: There will be no penalty for accidentally moving a ball on the putting green or in searching for a ball; and a player is not responsible for causing a ball to move unless it is “virtually certain” that he or she did so.  
 Relaxed putting green rules: There will be no penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits an unattended flagstick in the hole; players may putt without having the flagstick attended or removed. Players may repair spike marks and other damage made by shoes, animal damage and other damage on the putting green and there is no penalty for merely touching the line of putt.  
 Relaxed rules for “penalty areas” (currently called “water hazards”): Red and yellow-marked penalty areas may cover areas of desert, jungle, lava rock, etc., in addition to areas of water; expanded use of red penalty areas where lateral relief is allowed; and there will be no penalty for moving loose impediments or touching the ground or water in a penalty area.
 Relaxed bunker rules: There will be no penalty for moving loose impediments in a bunker or for generally touching the sand with a hand or club. A limited set of restrictions (such as not grounding the club right next to the ball) is kept to preserve the challenge of playing from the sand; however, an extra relief option is added for an unplayable ball in a bunker, allowing the ball to be played from outside the bunker with a two-stroke penalty.
 Relying on player integrity: A player’s “reasonable judgment” when estimating or measuring a spot, point, line, area or distance will be upheld, even if video evidence later shows it to be wrong; and elimination of announcement procedures when lifting a ball to identify it or to see if it is damaged.
 Pace-of-play support: Reduced time for searching for a lost ball (from five minutes to three); affirmative encouragement of “ready golf” in stroke play; recommending that players take no more than 40 seconds to play a stroke and other changes intended to help with pace of play.
  Simplified way of taking relief: A new procedure for taking relief by dropping a ball in and playing it from a specific relief area; relaxed procedures for dropping a ball, allowing the ball to be dropped from just above the ground or any growing thing or other object on the ground.  

A series of materials have also been prepared to explain the proposed Rule changes and provide background on the initiative. Found on randa.org and usga.org/rules

Golfers are encouraged to review the proposed changes and submit feedback online via worldwide survey technology that can be accessed at randa.org or usga.org/rules from now until 1 August 2017.  
 

The Cayman Islands will be represented at a prestigious international golf event this month by the father and son pairing of Michael and Payten Wight.

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The Wights will compete in the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) to be played 12-17 January at the Club de Golf de Panama, Panama City. The tournament will feature many amateur golfers, some ranked in the top 100 in the world.

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This father and son team represented Cayman at the first ever LAAC in Argentina and Michael also played in 2016’s event in the Dominican Republic.

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This event was founded three years ago, by the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the United States Golf Association.

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Its purpose is to help grow the game of golf South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The winner of the LAAC gets a spot to play in the 2017 Masters Tournament at Augusta.

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In addition to this tournament, both Wights have represented the Cayman Islands at other international events including the Caribbean Amateur Championships, Island Games and the 2016 World Amateur Team Championships in Mexico.

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Follow scoring here:  http://www.laacgolf.com/

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Click button for Cayman 27 interview with Payten Wight.

Isabel Mendes won the ladies competition and Andrew Linford won the men’s championship in the 2016 Cayman Islands Golf Association’s annual President’s Trophy contest at the North Sound Golf Club on Saturday.

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A total of 79 golfers, ages 11 to 72 and older, took part in the four divisions, an increase in participation of around 40 percent over last year, organizers said in a press release.

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The President’s Trophy is contested over one round of 18 holes and is a stroke-play handicap event with the winners being those with the lowest net score.

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In the ladies division, Mendes had a net score of 68. Runner-up Maria Butler scored 70.

In the senior men’s category (age 50 and over), Mick Whitworth won with a net score of 69. Last year’s senior champion Dave Champoux finished second with a net score of level-par 71.

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A new division was added this year: super seniors (men age 65 and over). The winner was Bill Knibloe with a score of 64. Robert Oosterwyk was second with 68.

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A total of 47 golfers contested the men’s event, with the trophy going to Andrew Linford, who scored 66. Neil Purton was second, with 67, and two players scored 68 – Daniel Kirkconnell and Greg O’Driscoll. The latter took third place after a tie-breaker.

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Annual General Meeting

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The golfers remained at the club for the association’s Annual General Meeting, in which a new committee of volunteers was elected to administer golf on the island for 2017.

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Given the huge success of the Junior Program, a new Junior Subcommittee will be formed to organize golf tuition and competitions for players age 17 and under, the press release states.

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CIGA President Paul Woodhouse, who was re-elected to serve in 2017, thanked the North Sound Golf Club for all their help over the year, and thanked all of the sponsors. He also announced the launch of a new CIGA member benefits program in partnership with several local businesses.

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For details on membership benefits, application forms and information about tournaments and programs, visit www.ciga.ky.

Cayman Junior golfers make Cayman proud at the Future College World Tour ("FCWT") Open at Disney Lake Buena Vista Golf Course in Orlando on the weekend of 29 - 30 October.

Three of Cayman’s top junior golfers, 2016 Junior Champion Andrew Jarvis, his brother Aaron and Justin Hastings qualified to compete in this tournament in Florida. The very generous sponsorship of the 2016 Junior Championship by HighWater meant that in addition to the trophy Andrew received financial support towards entry fees and travel to this event.  James Walton, CIGA junior golf coordinator, explained how important it is for the junior players’ development to compete on different courses in high level events.  He went on to say that it is one of the key goals of CIGA’s ongoing junior development programme to support juniors playing in these tournaments, but that this could only be achieved with the ongoing generosity of sponsors.  

In the Boys 12-14 division, Aaron Jarvis and Justin Hastings were tied 77 going into the final round on Sunday. They held a 7 shot lead over second place on a demanding 6300 yard golf course. Overnight co-leader Aaron Jarvis went on to win the FCWT Junior Golf Disney 2016. Aaron posted a final round of even par 72 which included three birdies in a row. He finished with a total two day score 149 (+5) and Justin placed second with a total two day score of 153 (+9) Both boys played excellent golf coming down the stretch as they traded off birdies. 

In the Boys 15-19 Division, Andrew Jarvis shot a 79 on the first day and followed up on Sunday with some excellent golf including 3 birdies to finish 76. He finished T13 with 11 over par in his division on a 6900 yard course. 

The Juniors are hoping to enter another tournament early next year to continue their international competition through the FCWT tournaments.  The FCWT is a non-profit organization committed to helping young men and women, ages 9-19, in their pursuit of earning a college scholarship through the challenge of competitive golf.

2016 Cayman Island Golf Association Junior Amateur Championships sponsored by HighWater.

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The 2016 Junior Amateur Championships were held on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October at the North Sound Golf Club.  26 players aged 17 and under took part in the tournament which was divided into five different divisions.

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In the Girls 36-hole championship, Holly McLean successfully defended her title with a total score over the two days of 170. Runners up were Lauren Needham (220) and Tabitha Hawkins (239), both of whom were playing in their first championship.

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The Boys 36-hole championship from the Blue Tees was a closely contested affair with brothers Andrew and Aaron Jarvis and Justin Hastings within 4 shots of each other after the first round.  Older brother Andrew, who at 17 was taking part in his last Junior Championship, held on to his lead and won with a one under par round of 70 on Sunday giving him a final score of 141 for the two days.  Aaron finished 2nd on 146 with Justin a close 3rd on 148.   Andrew Hastings won the boys 36-hole competition playing from the White Tees with a total score of 168.  Runner up Tom Dickens (178).

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Two other divisions were contested over 9 holes and were played from the red tees. Out of a field of 6 players in the under 10 boys Danny Lyne won with a score of 36, James Rees was the victor in the 10 and over with 41 and Beth Walton won the girls division (54)

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During the trophy ceremony James Walton; CIGA Junior Golf Coordinator thanked HighWater, who have sponsored the Junior Amateur Championships for the last 3 years, for their support.  His speech also included thanks to all the volunteers who had been involved in the organisation and running of the event and the North Sound Golf Club for their support and assistance. In conclusion he congratulated all the junior golfers on the standard of play over the two days.

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For full RESULTS, photo gallery and information about Junior Programmes and all CIGA events and membership information see CIGA.ky. 

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Cayman 27 Golfers Shoot for Top Honours

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Cayman Sports Buzz Article

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Cayman 27 Athlete of the Week

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Cayman sent a team of six male golfers to contest the Hoerman Cup, with the best golfers from the Caribbean region at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

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Team support was provided by manager Bob Slatter and Cayman Islands Golf Association Vice President James Walton.

The tournament was played on a very scenic but testing course, measuring more than 7,000 yards.

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In the team event, the best four scores each day counted. Over the four-day event, every team member contributed to the team score. Cayman’s top two players were Brian Ross, who recorded an individual top 10 finish in this event for the second year, and Payten Wight, who came in at 19th place, a personal best and great improvement on last year, CIGA said.

“These were particularly noteworthy performances as the standard of golf at this year’s event was the highest it has been in many years, possibly ever,” CIGA said in the press release.

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The full team was: Joel Dodson, Brian Ross, Payten Wight, Michael Wight, Andrew Jarvis and Philip Wight.

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“This was a great team effort and a well-deserved result” said Paul Woodhouse, CIGA president. “Once again we have shown that we are able compete with the larger countries at this level of the game, and with several promising juniors coming through the ranks, we hope to do even better in the coming years. Thanks are also due to Bob and James for their role supporting the players.”

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CAYMAN 27 REPORT

Cayman’s Junior golfers triumph in 2016 Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships.

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Despite being one of the smallest countries to field a team in this prestigious regional event Cayman’s juniors did exceptionally well over the three days of competition in Barbados.

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Top honours go to the two Cayman players in the boys 11-13 age group. Aaron Jarvis who won the group, and Justin Hastings who had lead for the first 2 days was runner up. Aaron brings home the Bob Slatter trophy - named in honour of Bob Slatter, Caribbean Golf Hall of Fame member and supporter of Junior golf in the Cayman Islands for the last 30 plus years.

Hot on the heels of the junior golfers’ tournament in Cayman on 17th April, and proving that golf is truly a sport that can be played for lifetime, a team of 8 more senior golfers travelled to Montego Bay in Jamaica on the 20th April to represent the Cayman Islands at the region wide Caribbean Classic Championships.

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The Cayman representatives played in teams of 2.  For the ladies, Orapin (Nitti) Howe and Emma Woodhouse in the 30+ category.  On the men’s’ side Tracy Moore and Jonathan Joyce (35+) , Robert Woods and Scott Kapuscinski (50+) and Stephen Heal and Andy Newton (60+).   Three competition rounds were played in a better ball format. The men’s divisions had formerly been played as part of the Caribbean Amateur Championships which are held over the summer, the team event for ladies was new in 2016.

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CIGA Secretary and team member Emma Woodhouse, said “The Golf Association felt it was important that Cayman support this new initiative particularly as it presented an opportunity for female golfers to play international competitive golf in a format and at a level that was geared for and accessible to older lady players, rather than college golfers.  I was honoured to be invited to be part of the team.”  

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As well as having to play an unfamiliar course with difficult greens the conditions were very testing, with strong winds on days one and two.  Saturday was the most challenging of all as the golfers had to deal with heavy and at times torrential rain.

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Emma explained “this was the first time that I had played at this level and I am very grateful that I was in a team with Nitti, who is a former Cayman Island Amateur Champion and who has represented Cayman at both the Caribbean Amateur and the Island Games.  We gelled well as a team and really enjoyed the better ball format.” Nitti and Emma were just beaten into 4th place after a to and fro tussle in the final round.

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The mix of new and experience was also present in the 35+ and 50+ categories with first time players Jonathan and Scott playing with very experienced partners: Tracy and Robert having represented Cayman at both Island Games and Caribbean Amateur events on numerous occasions.   Low round of the tournament for the Cayman team was shot by Tracy and Jonathan a final day a1 under par 71. They would finish the tournament tied 5th as did the 60+ team of Stephen and Andy, both seasoned internationals. The 50+ team of Robert and Scott were 2nd after day one and recorded the top spot for the Cayman players as they finished in 3rd. 

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CIGA president Paul Woodhouse offered his congratulations to all the team members on their standard of play and the places they attained in the competition, given that Cayman is one of the smallest island nations represented at Caribbean Golf Association events.

20 February 2018, St Andrews, Scotland and Liberty Corner, N.J., USA: 

The way golfers around the world will calculate their handicaps is set to be transformed by a new system developed by The R&A and the USGA, with key features designed to provide all golfers with a consistent measure of playing ability.

The new World Handicap System, to be implemented in 2020, follows an extensive review of systems administered by six existing handicapping authorities: Golf Australia, the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) in Great Britain and Ireland, the European Golf Association (EGA), the South African Golf Association (SAGA), the Argentine Golf Association (AAG) and the USGA.

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The new system will feature the following:  

§  Flexibility in formats of play, allowing both competitive and recreational rounds to count for handicap purposes and ensuring that a golfer’s handicap is more reflective of potential ability

§  A minimal number of scores needed to obtain a new handicap; a recommendation that the number of scores needed to obtain a new handicap be 54 holes from any combination of 18-hole and 9-hole rounds, but with some discretion available for national or regional associations to set a different minimum within their own jurisdiction

§  A consistent handicap that is portable from course to course and country to country through worldwide use of the USGA Course and Slope Rating System, already successfully used in more than 80 countries

§  An average-based calculation of a handicap, taken from the best eight out of the last 20 scores and factoring in memory of demonstrated ability for better responsiveness and control

§  A calculation that considers the impact that abnormal course and weather conditions might have on a player’s performance each day

§  Daily handicap revisions, taking account of the course and weather conditions calculation

§  A limit of Net Double Bogey on the maximum hole score (for handicapping purposes only)

§  A maximum handicap limit of 54.0, regardless of gender, to encourage more golfers to measure and track their performance to increase their enjoyment of the game 

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Quantitative research was conducted in 15 countries around the world, through which 76 percent of the 52,000 respondents voiced their support for a World Handicap System, 22 percent were willing to consider its benefits, and only 2 percent were opposed. This was followed by a series of focus groups, in which more than 300 golf administrators and golfers from regions around the world offered extensive feedback on the features of the proposed new system. 

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This feedback has helped shape the WHS, which has been developed by The R&A and the USGA with support from each existing handicapping authority as well as the Japan Golf Association and Golf Canada.

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Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are working with our partners and national associations to make golf more modern, more accessible and more enjoyable as a sport and the new World Handicap System represents a huge opportunity in this regard.  

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“We want to make it more attractive to golfers to obtain a handicap and strip away some of the complexity and variation which can be off-putting for newcomers. Having a handicap, which is easier to understand and is truly portable around the world, can make golf much more enjoyable and is one of the unique selling points of our sport.” 

Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA, commented, “For some time, we’ve heard golfers say, ‘I’m not good enough to have a handicap,’ or ‘I don’t play enough to have a handicap.’ We want to make the right decisions now to encourage a more welcoming and social game. We’re excited to be taking another important step – along with modernising golf’s Rules – to provide a pathway into the sport, making golf easier to understand and more approachable and enjoyable for everyone to play.” 

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The tenets of the new system focus on three main objectives: to encourage as many golfers as possible to obtain and maintain a handicap; to enable golfers of differing abilities, genders and nationalities to transport their handicap to any course globally and compete on a fair basis; and to indicate with sufficient accuracy the score a golfer is reasonably capable of achieving on any course around the world, playing under normal conditions.

Given worldwide alignment towards a single system, all parties will now embark on a two-year transition period targeting implementation in 2020.  When adopted, the World Handicap System will be governed by The R&A and the USGA and administered by national and regional associations around the world, with safeguards included to ensure consistency as well as adaptability to differing golf cultures. 

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The existing six handicapping authorities represent approximately 15 million golfers in 80 countries who currently maintain a golf handicap.   

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The announcement is the latest step in a multi-year collaboration between The R&A and the USGA, as well as national and regional golf associations around the world to introduce one set of Rules of Handicapping, aimed to support modernising, growing and improving accessibility of the sport. 

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As an extension of their support of the Rules of Golf worldwide, Rolex has made a commitment to support The R&A’s and the USGA’s efforts to implement a World Handicap System. The Swiss watchmaker’s contribution to excellence in golf is based on a rich heritage stretching back more than 50 years, forged through pivotal partnerships at every level of the game, from the sport’s leading professional and amateur competitions and organisations, to players at the pinnacle of their sport worldwide.

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To provide feedback on the new World Handicap System or for more information, visit www.randa.org. Golfers are encouraged to follow and join in the conversation on social media by using #golfwhs2020.

Cayman golfer plays in Junior British Open.

Joe Purton travelled straight from Barbados, where he represented the Cayman Islands at the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships, to Scotland to join 147 other junior golfers from 80 countries around the world.

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This year’s R&A Junior Open Championship, for golfers under age 16, took place less than three miles from Royal Troon at Kilmarnock (Barassie), one of Scotland’s most renowned links.

Joe shot a total of 171 but missed the cut by just one shot and did not get to play on the third day, his father, who was with him at the event, reported. “The Junior Open is an amazing event. Joe really loved the experience and although disappointed not to play on the third day he has learned so much.”

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James Walton, junior golf coordinator for the Cayman Islands Golf Association, said, “We are very pleased that Joe did so well. Links golf is a very different challenge to the sort of golf he has grown up playing. We are also grateful once again to the R&A who provide this wonderful opportunity for our young golfers.”

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Founded in 1994, the Junior Open is traditionally played on a nearby course shortly before The Open Championship, also known as the British Open.