Team Bahamas Returns from the 2021 Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships
From Left to Right:
Georgette Rolle-Harris, Kerrington Rolle, Lemon Gorospe, Alex Dupuch, Rhan Miller, Judah Lloyd, Patrick Farquharson, Aidan Gorsospe (forward), Jackson Mactaggart, Heathcliffe Kane, Chemari Pratt (forward), Zion Taylor, Tyesha Tynes (forward), A’Marie Smith, Nyah Singh, Gina Gonzalez-Rolle
The Bahamas Golf Federation sent the junior national team to the Dominican Republic from Thursday, July 29th through August 4th to compete in the 33rd Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships with hopes of bringing home the Hank James trophy, the overall team trophy. The other competing member countries of the Caribbean Golf Association are Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, and the US Virgin Islands. Team Bahamas had a total of 13 players, two coaches, and one team manager. The divisions and juniors are Girls 13 & Under (Chemari Pratt) Boys 13 & Under (Aidan Gorospe and Kerrington Rolle), Girls 15 & Under (Tyesha Tynes), Boys 15 & Under (Jackson Mactaggart, Patrick Farquharson, Rhan Miller), Girls 18 & Under (Nyah Singh, A’Marie Smith), and Boys 18 & Under (Heathcliffe Kane, Zion Taylor, Alex Dupuch, Judah Lloyd). The team coaches were Georgette Rolle-Harris and Lemon Gorospe. The team manager was Gina Gonzalez-Rolle.
Team Bahamas held fourth place through the three days of the championships. On day 1, the low score for the girls for Team Bahamas was Chemari Pratt with a score of 81 putting team Bahamas in second place in the Girls 13 & Under. The low score for the boys was Kerrington Rolle with a score of 77 putting team Bahamas in third place for the Boys 13 & Under. On day 2, the low score for the boys was Heathcliffe Kane with a score of 70. The low score for the girls was Tyesha Tynes with 84. On the final day, the low scorer for the boys was Heathcliffe Kane with a score of 76. The low scorer for the girls was Amarie Smith with 82.
Team Bahamas is looking forward to competing in 2022. Some quotes from some of the players are below.
“I felt like I played great today, but I can always do better. I made sure to take it one hole at a time and remember that every shot counts. On one hole, my second shot went into the hazard by the water almost on rock and I hit it to get over the bunker and onto the green and it was a pretty nice shot after all. My greatest highlight of the day was that putt on eighteen for par. It was a pretty great putt that I felt I couldn’t miss because there was a lot of people watching.” Chemari Pratt, Girls 13 & Under
“I think I played okay. I started off on hole number 1 with a bogey, but then recovered with a birdie on hole two. I hit a solid iron shot onto the green and one putted. I was able to put the last hole out of my head, and cleared my thought process. I birdied hole 8 with a great drive which drew to the left and set me up for a birdie chance. For the rest of the holes I just got up and down very well and finished out for 5 over par. The important thing is to calm your nerves in those hard shots and not let the overwhelming thoughts cloud your shots.” Kerrington Rolle, Boys 13 & Under
“I really loved the course, it was my first experience in the Junior Caribbean nationals and it was my favorite golf traveling experience. Everyone there was very nice and respectful of both the game and the players. The course was very COVID safe and I felt very safe there. The course is very nice and open, the holes were short but it will always be a special memory in my head mainly because I broke my personal record almost everyday. The course was very hot but it was still one of the best courses I have played at before. If I was able to play the course again I would try to not stress out after I have already played well because that really throws me out of my glow and causes me to play bad. However I still played some of the best golf I have ever played in this course so it will always hold a special place in my heart” Patrick Farquharson, Boys 15 & Under
“My experience on the course wasn’t one I was expecting, but after the three days I was content with knowing that I improved each day. What I liked most about the tournament was the beautiful course, as well as its conditions. If I were chosen to do this experience again, I would definitely choose to trust myself and my ability, as this is where I fell short on the first day. Playing in tournaments like this are always helpful to me, because it allows me to realize my weaknesses, and encourages me to want to play better. Not only am I thankful for this experience, but I am thankful for those that uplifted me throughout this tournament.” Nyah Singh, Girls 18 & Under
“Overall, I felt like it was a great experience to play in this tournament. I was very excited to be a part of the national team. I was disappointed in the way I played, as the course was very easy to attack and I did not take advantage of that. It always hurts to know you could’ve played way better than you actually did. However, it was a great learning experience for me and tells me what I have to work on for next time” Alex Dupuch, Boys 18 & Under
This year’s captain Heathcliffe Kane did not play his best with a 10th place finish, but was proud of how the team played, especially with it being a team with 9 rookies. “I’m proud of how each of player performed. I know some of them didn’t play their best but they should know that they as a player can be their best friend or your worst enemy. As a player, you should not beat yourself up too much, but instead reflect on the good things, as well as the bad, and how you can make them better.” Heathcliffe Kane, Boys 18 & Under
