Issa has great day two at CAJGC

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico:

MATTEA ISSA put in the best shift forJamaica, as day two action at the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship (CAJGC) culminated on Wednesday at the Grand Reserve Golf Club here in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.

Following her opening round 83, Issa went 10 shots better on the second day to record a one-over-par 73, to leap to second place in the 18 and under flight.

The national champion had a rocky start after a triple bogey on the opening hole, but recovered to snare three birdies to go along with a bogey, to finish with a score of 73, and a two-day total of 156 — two shots off the lead.

For Issa, the round was much needed to lift the team up the rankings.

“I didn’t have the best of starts, but throughout the round I just chipped away and managed the conditions well on a tricky, windy day, and I am happy with a one-over-par round.”

Compatriot Kingston Burke was also in decent nick, as she carded a five-over-par 77 to go with her opening round 83 for a total of 160 to be in fifth place.

Puerto Rico’s Ava Saavedra leads the category with a 10-over-par 154.

Jamaica’s Malliana Williams is seventh in the 15 and under category following scores of 86 and 87.

In the 11-13 flight, Allesandra Coe continues to fly the flag high as she just missed out on a hole in one on the 17th, to record a second-round score of 80, to go with her opening round 85 to be in third place with a total score of 165.

Teammate Francesca Black is currently fifth in the flight following scores of 85 and 89.

On the boys’ side, Kemari Morris was the best-placed Jamaican, as his second-round 80 along with his opening-round 74 sees him in third place in the 15 and under category, at 10-over-par 154. Cameron Coe is down in 15th place following his two-day score of 178.

Shasa Redflesen is the lone Jamaican in the 11-13 flight, but he has been having a tough outing, following scores of 83 and 79, to be in ninth place.

Co-captain Ryan Lue is finding the going tough in the boys’ 18 and under flight on day two, as he was not able to follow up his opening-round 72, and carded a 12-over-par 84.

The top four in the category is led by hosts Puerto Rico, with Evan Pena leading with a total score of two-under-par 142.

The Jamaicans go into today’s final day fifth overall with 65 points, behind leaders Puerto Rico with 107 points, second-place Dominican Republic, 88, and Bahamas, third with 79.