Junior Golfers – Mattea Issa and Ryan Lue Top Senior Trials Leaderboard

Junior golfers Mattea Issa and Ryan Lue topped the leaderboard for the Jamaica Golf Association’s national senor trials which ended on Sunday at the Caymanas Golf Club in St. Catherine.

Issa led the female section of the trials on all three days and won by four strokes over Emily Mayne – the 2022 winner of the senior trials as well as national female golf champion for that year. Issa’s three-day total of 10 over par 226 resulted from scores of four over par 76, one over par 73 and five over par 77 for the three days respectively. Mayne on the other hand posted scores of 81, 76 and 73 for 14 over par 230 to take the runner-up spot.

Issa was happy with winning the senior trials for the second time, especially in light of the mishap that she had which resulted in her going to the hospital prior to the start of the final round.

“The conditions on the weekend were very tough. There was a lot of wind and rain and there was even a lightening delay on the second day but despite that I thought I played decent. On the first day I was four over. I was pretty disappointed with how I played. I thought I could have played much but I did have a five shot lead so I had an opportunity going into the second day. On the second day I shot one over and I was pretty happy with that given the tough conditions and I was able to get a bigger gap with an eight shot lead. On the third day while I was warming up I had a little incident where I was hit in the face with one of my training aids and I did end up having to go the emergency room before my tee time, and so I was a little shaken up but I still managed to shoot five over which I am pretty proud of myself given the circumstances. And I finish with a four shot-lead after three days which is good training and good prep for the junior championship coming up, which is my main goal to do well in that at Caymanas. I am overall happy with the win as its back to back champions for 2023 and 2024 so I am proud” said Issa.

Several of the men posted their best score on the final day of the trials, with four of them getting impressive under par scores. Topping that list was Ryan Lue who scored four under par 68 (possibly his best score on local soil) to close the trials on six over par 222 (day 1 and 2 scores -79, 75) to win the trials by four strokes ahead of Jack Stein who closed on 10 over par 226 after posting one under par 71 in the final round.

Lue was also happy with his performance. “I feel like the trials well. I am very happy about my performance. (I am) very happy to have shot a good score on the last day to win and I am very happy to have won, and I am very excited to represent my country this coming summer in the Dominican Republic.”

Rocco Lopez, the day one leader scored three under par 69 in the final round to close the trials on 11 over par 227 to share third place with Zandre Roye who scored one under par 71 in the round. Roye is the current national golf champion. His best placement in the trials was joint second in the first round but an eight over par 80 in the second round resulted in him dropping to seventh place and out of contention for winning the trials.

William Kinbbs, the 2023 national golf champion who returned to local golf recently, was playing his hit first tournament since his return. He along with Oshae Haye (the 2022 national golf champion) were the second round leasers. Knibbs scored 76 in his final round to close the trials on 229 in fifth place while Haye ended in joint sixth place with Dr. Mark Newnham on 231.

The Caribbean Junior Amateur Golf Championship which will be played in Jamaica in early July will feature Issa and Lue. They will also be called upon to play in the Caribbean (senior) Amateur Golf Championship which is scheduled for later in July in the Dominican Republic.

Mattea Issa Extends Lead in National Senior Golf Trials