HANOVER – After battling a cold for the majority of the tournament, Trinidad and Tobago’s Benjamin Martin secured his first victory at the prestigious Jamaica Open Golf Championship earlier in the week, clinching the title by a single stroke at the stunning Tryall Golf Course in Sandy Bay, Hanover.
Entering the final round tied with American Mac McLear, Martin displayed remarkable composure under pressure. His decisive performance included five birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey, culminating in a one-under-par 71. This brought his three-day total to seven-under-par 209, enough to etch his name among the tournament’s champions.
“It feels great, and I am proud to be a champion here at the Jamaica Open,” Martin said after his win. “I didn’t quite have my A game on the final day, but a couple of clutch birdies on 16 and 17 coming down the stretch made all the difference. I’ve been close before with a third and fourth finish, so finally crossing the line here means a lot to me.”
Canada’s Jacob Lehman finished as the runner-up, posting a strong six-under-par 210. Meanwhile, McLear and France’s Pierre Viallneix shared third place, each finishing at five-under-par 211.
Defending champion Andrew Arft of the United States had a challenging outing, carding a final score of six-over-par 222 to settle for 10th place.
Jamaican junior Trey Williams won his first amateur title after he shot a 13 over par 229 score for the three rounds, just beating Zandre Roye who shot 14 over 230, while Oshae Haye and Jack Stein were tied for third with 16 over par 232.
Allan McLean of Canada won the senior professional title while T&T Golf Association President Wayne Baptiste won the senior amateur title.
CMC