Cayman teen golfer to play in US Masters
(CNS): Local golfer Aaron Jarvis (19) is preparing to become the first player from the Cayman Islands to represent the country at the 2022 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, in April after an outstanding victory at the Latin America Amateur Championships in the Dominican Republic on Sunday. The win also qualifies him to compete in the Open at St Andrews, Scotland, and the US Amateur Championship in New Jersey.
After starting the competition with two under par in Round One of the four-day tournament, the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) player climbed the leader board, and in the final round took the trophy six under par in a thrilling finish.
Jarvis, who is just the 1,669th-ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, will now take on some of the top pro golfers in the world and is on the road to becoming a professional golfer himself. “It was amazing to achieve this accomplishment,” Jarvis said. “It’s still kicking in, a lot of emotions going around. But I’m just happy to see all of the support back home in Cayman.”
One of those supporters is Brad De Schiffert, the former head junior coach of the Cayman Islands National Golf Team, who taught Jarvis at the North Sound Golf Club when he was just 13 years old.
“I’m beyond proud of the golfer and gentleman that Aaron has become. It feels like yesterday that he was riding around with me watching the older boys play in a tournament that he wasn’t old enough for and you could see a fire was building,” he said.
“From there it didn’t take long and in a few years he won the Caribbean Championship by a rather large margin. When Aaron sets goals, he accomplishes them. I feel very proud to have been a part of building his passion for the game. No one works that hard because they have to, but only because they want to. Aaron is a great young golfer and an amazing role model for the younger generation.”
Sports Minister Bernie Bush congratulated the young golfer. “I along with our government and the people of the Cayman Islands stand proud with our national athletes as they continue to put the Cayman Islands on centre stage. Aaron, we applaud you,” he said.
Jarvis is now back at UNLV but is set to return to Grand Cayman this summer. Before then he will be working towards the three major tournaments ahead of him.
The Masters takes place 7-10 April at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.
The 150th Open takes place at the Old Course, St Andrews, on 10-17 July.
The US Amateur will be held this year at The Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, New Jersey, on 15-21 August.
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Category: Local News, Sports
Congrats to my little cousin! Proud of you!
There’s no questioning Aaron’s achievement, well done fella. At the end of this story though it’s more of a recognition factor than anything else and rightfully should be.
With that said though I felt there was maybe another side somewhere that would inspire me, a side that would put my mind in a place of humility and truly be humbled by an achievement with circumstances when faced with adversity, – try this, and again well done Aaron 👍⛳️
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LbdLaznCyl8
Thank goodness Jeff Webb and his cronies weren’t involved in golf. The two local courses would likely have been turned into landfills or slums.
Will be years before we see a similar achievement in our main national sport.
Great going Aaron. Many persons are not aware that not only are you the first Caymanian to win this tournament but also the first Caribbean person to do so.
Congratulations to the highest degree. We are all proud of you.
CNS, a couple of minor points. Aaron won with a score of 7 under, not 6.
Also he will be competing as an individual at the Masters, The Open etc, not representing his country per se, unlike his Cayman team representation at LAAC. However Cayman will still get lots of mentions!!
An amazing achievement, probably the top sporting achievement by a Caymanian ever, and that is not meant as any disrespect to all other Caymanian sportsmen and women over the years.
Attaboy!!!
A lot of sorry and sad people out there! Who would “dislike” these comments?
Go buy yourself a treat if it’ll make you feel better!
Amazing, well done. Jeez. Been trying to get my kids lessons at NS for the last 2 years! What a shambles.
a big result for the private sector in cayman…..cig has done nothing for golf and should hang their heads in shame.
25 @ 3:07pm – Absolutely right! But watch Govt. Sport and Tourism Ministries try to “embrace” (exploit) his successes!
Don’t worry I am sure there will be a full CIG cohort heading to the Masters to “support”the son of the soil.
Here’s a radical idea. What about the golf clubs on the island brought their prices down from ludicrous to normal and that might encourage more youngsters to take up the game?
Irons or woods? They’re just trying to drive a wedge between us!
Water is not cheap. How about we start there and see where it takes us.
Junior membership fees at NSC are not too bad – much less than the fees you pay the junior “football academy” clubs
Congratulations! What an accomplishment!
Anyone who Dislikes this story is a true loser internet troll.
Congratulations Aaron. You will be a great ambassador for Cayman.
Great job !!!! Aaron….watched your sat & sun round (live ESPN) you killed it…..big time now boy keep it goin ….CONGRATS !!!!to you….also your mom dad & big brother for all their support
Wait no negative comments?
Congratulations this is a world class achievement.
Mom and Dad you must be proud.
You really have to be a turd of the highest order to dislike this story and the praise being heaped on this young man and his family.
@11:58 so true. Why on earth would anyone give thumbs down? With all the challenges that Cayman has been through is the last two years, this is such a positive and uplifting story!
ALL persons (Caymanians and others) living on this island should feel proud of Aaron’s achievement.
Signed
A Caymanian
PS give thumbs down if you’re a fool.
Congrats Aaron, this is a great achievement and I wish you a long and more successful career in golf.
I don’t know the young man or his parents but as a Caymanian I extremely proud.
Well done Aaron. We will be rooting for you!
I love when Caymanians are recognized around the world for all the right reasons.
big achievement, congrats and best of luck
Good for you son. Bring the Green Jacket back to Cayman!
Anyone explain why anyone would vote thumbs down for such an uplifting story of a young man’s success.?
I completely agree. We should all be supporting Aaron. This is a great achievement.
How exciting! Good luck!
A lot of Caymanians care about golf for the first time! We are all super proud.
Pity we only have one public course to play on or we might have more following in the swing of Mr. Jarvis.
The Ritz Course is designated Public Open Space, isn’t it? Isn’t it land for public purposes?
Used to be just for Ritz guests or playing with guests. Not what I’d really call a public course and it’s still only nine holes.
Congratulations on a job well done, Aaron.
This is a HUGE accomplishment for Aaron, his family, and the entire Cayman Islands, truly one of the greatest achievements in our sporting history!
In winning this tournament he defeated over 100 of the best amateur golfers from the entire region!
Aaron will be a great ambassador for Cayman!
Congratulations!
Just wondering what support family was given to get him to this elite level? Seems only football gets any support and we all see where that has gotten! Congratulations to this fine young man and family in their success in spite of the sports ministry not because….