MATTEA Issa improved her lead over former national champion Emily Mayne by three shots, scoring one over par 73 to Mayne’s four over par 76, on the second day of the National Senior Golf Trials.

Issa’s combined score of five over par 149 was eight strokes ahead of Mayne’s 157. Both golfers posted better scores in the second round as Issa’s 73 was three strokes better than a first-day’s 76, while Mayne’s 76 was five strokes better than her first-round score of 81.

Issa is pleased with her second-round scorecard which showed a birdie and a bogey on the front nine and just one bogey on the back nine. She was even par up to the 13th hole then she dropped the bogey on the 14th — but that was the only blemish on the back nine. With five strokes ahead she is well positioned to top the women’s section of the senior trials for the first time.

Mayne’s scorecard showed four bogeys and a double bogey, but she had two birdies which cut her second-round deficit to four. She still had a reasonable day on the course as she was even par up to hole number 14 but had a double bogey on 15, along with bogeys on 17 and 18. She has it all to play for on Sunday but came into the event with some confidence as she had a successful collegiate season which saw her university (Howard) winning the championship.

Last year’s national champion William Knibbs and the 2022 national champion Oshae Haye were joint leaders at the end of the second round of the trials as both golfers scored five over par 77 for the round. Their two-day scores were four over 76 and 77, respectively, for a total of nine over par 153. They were in joint second place at the end of the first round.

Mark Newnhan, Ryan Lue and Shamar Wilson all share the third spot with combined scores of 154 each after scoring 75, 75 and 76, respectively, in the second round. They are within striking distance of the leaders by just one stroke.

The first-round leader Rocco Lopez scored 14 over par 86 in his second round for a total of 14 over par 158. He is the only golfer to post an even par score (72) so far, which he did in the first round.

The reigning national champion Zandre Roye dropped from joint second (76) to seventh place after posting eight over par 80 in the second round. He will start the third and final round on 12 over par 156 but just three strokes behind leaders Knibbs and Haye.

The golfers will tee off at 9:00 am on Sunday for the third and final round of the senior trials. They are trying to qualify for a spot on the team to represent Jamaica at the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships next month.