Jamaica’s William Knibbs and Justin Burrows battled the elements in the first round of the 8th Latin America Amateur Golf Championship (LAAC) on Thursday at the par 72 Grand Reserve Golf Course in Puerto Rico for contrasting results on the day.
Knibbs’ one over par 73 is his best-ever single round score in the LAAC on this his third time competing in the championship. His first-round score puts him at 48 along with seven other golfers.
According to Knibbs, “today I shot 73 which I think is the best score I have shot in all of my rounds in LAAC so far. The conditions weren’t overly tough, but they weren’t super easy at the same time. I gave myself a lot of good opportunities today, didn’t capitalize on all of them (but) didn’t really make many mistakes. I put a decent score together today so hopefully I am out a little earlier tomorrow so hopefully there won’t be too much breeze and I can take it low.”
He is on track to make the cut for the first time. The cut will be made at number 50 at the end of the second round on Friday.
Burrowes, who is competing in the LAAC for the fourth time and made the cut on his three previous appearances, closed the first round in the 84th position along with eight other golfers. He posted five over par 77 for the round after a very good front nine one under par 35.
“Today was bit interesting. (I) started off really well which I usually start off a little slow and then flow into the round, but it was the opposite today. I started really hot I had two birdies to start on my first two holes. I had something going on the front nine and just hit a wall on the back nine mentally. I feel like I still have a game there even though on the leader board I am way down at the moment, there is nothing that a really good score tomorrow can’t fix,” said Burrowes.
Defending champion, 19-year-old Aaron Jarvis of the Cayman Islands shot even par 72 and is currently tied on 31st position with 17 others.
The sole leader is Mateo Fuenmayor of Colombia after shooting six under par 66.
The championship features 108 golfers from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Host country Puerto Rico will have nine golfers on the course, as per the tournament rules. There is a cut line of the top 50 golfers at the end of the second day.
Some of the competing countries are Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, Barbados, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago, Panama, Venezuela and Jamaica.
Jamaica has been participating in the championships since it started in 2015.
