CHRISTOPHER Richards Jr, 18, capped off his successful junior career by capturing a fourth consecutive Republic Bank Junior Golf Open Championship overall title at the Brechin Castle Golf Course in Couva on Wednesday.
Richards Jr won his boys’ 16-18 category with a gross score of 222 and was also adjudged overall winner of the annual tourney.
Rounding off the top three finishers, after three consecutive days of competition, were Ross Ramkissoon (232) and Jerseem Boodram (233). Ayden Ali (234) and Zico Correia (236) rounded off the top five, in that order.
Jamaican Mattea Issa copped the female division title with a gross of 235. Chloe Ajodha (250) and Emily Wyatt (271) were second and third.
Richards Jr was elated at ending his junior stint on such a high.
“Winning it for the fourth year in a row in tremendous. It’s so good to be champion again, especially with this being the last year I’m competing as a junior. To go out with a victory makes me happy,” he said.
Looking ahead, Richards Jr aims to compete in more overseas tournaments to bolster his international ranking and get below his target of 150 points.
The Diego Martin resident tries to stay ahead of his game by practising daily mostly at the St Andrews Golf Club in Moka, Maraval.
He has a busy year ahead transitioning out of the junior division into the elite category.
“From here, more or less, I have to win as many tournaments as I can. I train at Moka but I also go to the other golf courses so I can get the feel for all the different types and locations available in TT,” he added.
In April, he plans to compete at the Pan American Open in Panama, Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in June and the Caribbean Amateur Championships (Hoerman Cup) in July.
At the award ceremony on Wednesday, Republic Bank Group general manager (Risk) Baldath Ramkissoon lauded all of the junior golfers for their tenacity and grit over the three days.
“This junior golf tournament continues to have an outstanding influence on the progression and growth of not only golf but on our young people, locally and regionally. It allows our youth to participate in a sport that supports a healthy, sustainable and active lifestyle away from the devices that most seem to be addicted to these days.
"The influence of this tournament expands past the golf course. The participants develop skills that will remain with them as they go along their life. It prepares them to be successful in whatever field they choose to go into as adults.
“All of you young people present today are winners even if you did not receive a medal or trophy here. Tiger Woods once said, ‘winning is not always the barometer of getting better,' it’s the skills and experience obtained through your participation in this tournament that will help you master the field. That is indeed a great reward,” Ramkissoon said.
Other Results
14-15
Male: 1. Adam Green (264); 2. Daniel Ali (271), Jose Roo
