BENJAMIN Martin of Trinidad and Tobago won his first Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) Open title with a nail-biting, one-shot win over Jacob Lehman of Canada at Tryall Club in Sandy Bay, Hanover, on Tuesday.

The six-time Trinidad and Tobago Open champion, who came into the third and final day tied with first-day leader Mac McClear of the USA, shot a seven under par 209 score — his best ever at Tryall to win the first prize of US$20,000.

Lehman, who shot back-to-back four under par scores over the last two days, was one shot back on six under par 210 while McClear, a first-season professional, tied with France’s Pierre Viallaneix on five under par 211, while Andrew Storm (USA) was fifth with two under par 214.

Many-time Jamaican amateur champion Justin Burrowes finished ninth — the best by a Jamaican in years — with three over par 219, while last year’s winner Andrew Arft finished in a three-way tie for 10th place on six over par 222.

Martin, who had finished fourth on his two previous appearances at Tryall — in 2021 when he shot six under par 210, and in 2022 when he shot four under par 212 — shot a one under par 71 on the final day, his worst of the three days.

“I didn’t quite have my ‘A’ game today but coming down the stretch, it was a good gradient at the 16th and 17th holes,” Martin said.

He need a near miracle after he trailed Lehman, who had played two groups ahead of him, after he bogied the 10th hole, birdied the 11th, but double-bogied the par four 14th hole.

Back-to-back birdies on the par four 16th and 17th, however, salvaged the tournament as he got his nose in front, saying he was able to stay abreast of the situation via online scoring.

“We were well aware of the situation,” he said. “That’s why it was such a big putt on 17 to roll one in for birdie and give me a little one-shot cushion coming down the last. I’m very proud to be a champion in Jamaica but I came close twice and I’m happy to get it over the line and win this stage.”

Jamaican junior Trey Williams won his first amateur title as he shot a 13 over par 229 score for the three rounds, just beating Zandre Roye who shot 14 over 230 while Oshae Haye and Jack Stein were tied for third with 16 over par 232. Last year’s winner, Sean Morris was fifth with 19 over par 235.

JGA President Jodi Munn Barrow hailed “another successful staging of the event”, which she described as thrilling.

“We had more players than we expected and it was three really thrilling days of golf,” she said. “Benjamin Martin, our winner, had to get up and down on 18 to win by a shot so we couldn’t have expected, or we couldn’t have wanted, a better outcome.”

Munn Barrow was thankful that the weather which had made the course waterlogged just before the start, held up.