Jamaica surrenders Caribbean 4-ball crown but strikes gold in two categories

Jamaica surrendered its stranglehold on the Caribbean Golf Association’s (CGA) 4-Ball Championship, finishing second overall at the seventh staging of the tournament in the Turks and Caicos Islands, but salvaged a strong showing by capturing two category titles.

The Bahamas ended Jamaica’s six-championship winning streak, securing the overall country trophy with 88 points at the Royal Turks & Caicos Golf Course. Jamaica finished with 71 points, while Trinidad and Tobago placed third with 65.

Despite losing the Ambrose Gouthro Cup for the first time in the competition’s history, Jamaica celebrated victories in the Senior and Super Seniors categories, along with podium finishes in several other divisions.

The results reflected a determined response from the Jamaican contingent, which faced mounting pressure after falling behind early and had to contend with challenging winds during the final round.

Bahamas breaks Jamaica’s dominance

Jamaica entered the championship as the six-time defending winner, but the Bahamas quickly established itself as the team to beat.

The eventual champions claimed the opening round by three points, with Trinidad and Tobago just one point behind in third place. Jamaica slipped to third on the leaderboard after the second round, leaving the team with ground to recover.

The Jamaicans responded in the final round, fighting through the windy conditions to collect valuable points and overtake Trinidad and Tobago for second overall.

Jamaica’s campaign produced two category victories, one second-place finish, two third-place results and a seventh-place finish across its six entries.

Newnham and Samuda retain Senior title

Dr. Mark Newnham and Owen Samuda continued Jamaica’s success in the Senior category, combining for a two-under-par total of 214 to retain the Francis Steele Perkins Trophy.

Puerto Rico mounted a strong challenge but finished just one stroke behind at 215, while the Bahamas placed third with 217.

The victory extended the Jamaican pair’s remarkable run in the division. Their consistency over successive championships has made them central figures in Jamaica’s record at the event.

Jamaica also captured the Super Seniors title, with Radcliffe Knibbs and Keith Stein producing a three-under-par total of 213 to win the Higgs and Higgs Cup.

The Bahamas finished second at six-over-par 220, while the host nation, the Turks and Caicos Islands, took third place at five-over-par 221.

Knibbs and Stein’s triumph marked a return to the top after their previous victory two years ago.

Women secure runner-up finish

Jamaica’s women also made their presence felt, with Maggi Lyn and Michele McCreath finishing second in their category with a combined score of 242.

The Turks and Caicos Islands claimed the Dessie Henry Trophy with 226, nine strokes ahead of the Jamaican pair, while Trinidad and Tobago placed third at 245.

In another division, Jamaica Golf Association President Jodi Munn-Barrow partnered with Diane Hudson to earn third place with a score of 242.

Trinidad and Tobago captured the Maria Nunes Trophy with a total of 231, equivalent to 15-over-par, while the Bahamas finished second at 240.

Legends finish on the podium; Mid-amateur team places seventh

Jamaica’s Legends pairing of Carlyle Hudson and Dorrel Allen also reached the podium, finishing third with a total of 236.

Trinidad and Tobago took second place at 234, while the Bahamas won the category and the Ashraph Ali Trophy with an eight-over-par score of 224, finishing 10 strokes ahead of the runners-up.

The remaining Jamaican entry, Dave Cameron and Norman Pryce, competed in the Mid-Amateur division and finished seventh with 236.

The Bahamas secured that title and the Ramon Baez Romano Trophy with a two-under-par total of 214. The Cayman Islands placed second at 222, while the Bahamas’ second team finished third at 223.

Munn-Barrow praises team’s response

Jamaica Golf Association President Jodi Munn-Barrow expressed pride in the team’s collective effort, particularly its determination to recover in the final round after falling behind in the overall standings.

“Very proud of Team Jamaica. Everyone personally went out there and tried their hardest. We were behind for the overall after day two and everyone fought hard on the last day to bring in every point possible for us to overtake Trinidad and to finish second overall,” she said.

Munn-Barrow singled out the performances of the two senior pairings, praising Newnham and Samuda for their sustained success and Knibbs and Stein for reclaiming the Super Seniors title.

“Also, very pleased with the performance of our seniors, Owen Samuda and Dr. Mark Newnham, who have retained the trophy for Jamaica for the last five or six years and also very proud of Radcliffe Knibbs and Keith Stein who retook the trophy after winning it two years ago,” she added.

Despite the loss of the overall championship, she described Jamaica’s performance as encouraging, particularly given the financial constraints affecting the sport.

“So, Team Jamaica’s overall performance was quite good. I know some are disappointed but with the limited resources that golf has nowadays we're pleased with the results and we hope that we can grow the game as we continue.”

End of an unprecedented winning run

The championship marked the first time Jamaica failed to win the overall country trophy after claiming the title at each of the first six stagings.

That run included the 2025 edition, hosted at Cinnamon Hill Golf Course in Montego Bay, where Jamaica continued its dominance.

Although the Bahamas brought that sequence to an end in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Jamaica’s two category victories and several additional podium finishes provided grounds for encouragement as the association looks to build on its regional standing.

Team Jamaica received sponsorship support for this year’s championship from Jamaica Aggregates Limited, CMK Bakery, Innovative Energy Group and Port of Call Duty Free.