Xza­vier Wig­gins shot a fine 76 to take the lead in the boys’ 18 and un­der age-group on the open­ing day of the Re­pub­lic Bank Caribbean Ju­nior Open Tour­na­ment un­der beau­ti­ful con­di­tions at St An­drews Golf Course in Mo­ka, Mar­aval, yes­ter­day.

Twelve for­eign ju­niors were among 68 ju­niors that teed-off in sev­er­al cat­e­gories for the 12th edi­tion of the event which opened with T&T Prime Min­is­ter Dr Kei­th Row­ley hit­ting a bril­liant tee shot down the mid­dle of the first fair­way to get the day’s pro­gramme off.

Leader Wig­gins shot a fine 76 to take a 17- stroke lead over T&T’s Bran­don Matabadal and To­bag­on­ian Liam Per­reira who both shot 93. Reyaz Ram­bar­ran is one stroke fur­ther back on 94, with St Lu­cia’s pair Joseph Rayshorn and Samuel Riche­lieu one stroke fur­ther back on 95.

In the girls’ 18 and un­der, Yeji Lee shot the best round over­all shoot­ing a bril­liant 73 gross, to take a 16-stroke lead over lo­cal tal­ent Sarah Ram­phal who shot 89. To­ba­go’s Krista Kent shot 105 with St Lu­cia’s Lisa Daniel on 110.

In the boys’ 14 to 15 age-group as ex­pect­ed co-favourites Chris Richards Ju­nior and Zi­co Cor­reia lead the way both shoot­ing 76. Jean-Marc Chevrotiere is in third place shoot­ing an 82 with fel­low coun­ty man Dravid Bhim a fur­ther stroke be­hind with 83.

The girls’ 14-15 age group Bar­ba­di­an Emi­ly Odwin shot an 85 and has a 17-stroke lead on sec­ond-placed Azari­ah Joseph who shot 102. Ja­da Charles shot 111 with St Lu­cia’s Celi­na Lu­bin on 114.

The boys’ 13 and un­der is led by Jer­seem Boodram, who shot an 87 to lead by two strokes from Ethan Hill who had 89. In third place on 96 is Bar­ba­di­an Quin­ton Hel­jen­jenk with T&T’s Aiden Ali in fourth on 97.

The girls’ 13 and un­der is led by Chloe Ajod­ha who shot 94, Faa­timah Ema­malie is in sec­ond af­ter shoot­ing 105.