By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

THE 242 Golf Academy hosted its inaugural 242 Golf Academy Classic on Saturday at the Blue Hill 9-hole Golf Course featuring golfers ages 18 and under.

The event began at 7am with registration and warmups, followed by opening remarks and rules.

The tournament officially teed off at 8am with different divisions rotating through the course under the supervision of parents and coaches. Awards were given to each division's winners and participants. 

“We have our first ever and hopefully annual golf tournament, focusing on the juniors starting from 5–6-year-olds. It was designed to make golf inclusive. They usually get intimidated by going on big 18-hole courses, so my idea along with the assistant coordinator was to bring it to a smaller golf course that they can have access to daily,” said event founder and coordinator Ian Coerbell. 

“It has been more than I anticipated because I didn’t know how they would react to competition, a good 80 to 90 per cent of them, this is their first time teeing it up in competition and the training has obviously set in and they are finding their footing and playing real good golf,” said Coerbell.

“They are now focused and have pre-shot routines. They know what comes next and I’ve actually seen some of them guiding the parents who are the caddies, which really makes my heart full and I’m happy to see that they understand the game of golf and that it’s gonna be ingrained in them for a long time.” 

Miranda Tucker, event coordinator and coach, commented on how the event went.

“It was a great showing, we had a lot of young golfers, a lot of promising ones, we had some newcomers and some underdogs, but it’s been a fierce, fair competition.” 

The award ceremony recognised top performers as well as players who demonstrated discipline and sportsmanship.

Organisers said these categories reflect the Academy’s goal of building well-rounded golfers in all facets of the game.

“I teach not only how to play the game but the theory and life skills like manners and we even have a contest today for best dressed, encouraging them to be clean and sharp,” said Coerbell. 

• Results are as follows: 

Six-year-old category

(participation prizes) 

Liam Miller 

Teigan Roll 

Janina Kikavakaris

Kai Cozier 

Age 7-9 Male 

1st Lorwensky Phaeton

2nd Logan Taylor 

3rd Aurius Penn

Age 7-9 Female 

1st Synai Munroe 

2nd Kaliah Thompson 

3rd Brielle Bowe 

Age 10-12 Male 

1st Cameo Smith

2nd Canaan Knowles

3rd Dakota 

Age 10-12 Female 

1st London Strachan 

2nd Zoe Leah Simmons 

Age 13-15 Male 

1st Lamont Wallace 

2nd Alejandro Morley 

3rd Amari Pearson 

Age 13-15 Female

1st Tatum Adderly 

Age 16-18 male 

1st Carnis Higgs 

Age 16-18 Female 

1st Tiar Daja Gibson