T&T's Jean-Marc Lawrence shot 76 to take a six stroke lead in the Boys 16-17 Division on the opening day of the Republic Bank Caribbean Junior Open Golf Championships at the St Andrews Golf Club, Moka, Maraval yesterday. Lawrence is followed by countrymen Axl Bailey, who shot 82, and Robert Boocock, who shot 84. The round of the day belonged to the prestigious Sachin Kumar, who shot 72 to lead Liam Bryden by five shots in the Boys 11-13 Division. Sam Avey (82) is in third place shooting with Sol Joanni of Tobago in fourth with an 84. The category has three boys from St Lucia and two boys from Barbados and is the largest with a total of 19 boys competing.
The Girls 16-17 Division is lead by Arianne MacKenzie (86) with Christina Ferreira in second with a 92. Teammates from last year's national Caribbean Junior team Wan Ju Lee and Dinesh Jackree are battling it out in the Boys 14-15 Division with Lee shooting 75 and Jackree 76. Chad Phillip follows with 85. Ysabelle Lawrence shot a steady 83 in the Girls 14-15 category to take a large eight stroke lead over her nearest rival Keziah Bailey. The Girls 11-13 Division is nicely balanced with Serena Mackenzie shooting a 91 to lead the way from Ana Ferreira, who shot a 94, and Sabrina Mitchell, who shot 95. Yesterday also had nine boys and four girls competing in the three-hole category.