With precision and passion, young athletes from across the island gathered at the Sandals Upton Estate Golf & Country Club on Saturday, April 12, for the 2025 staging of the Sandals Foundation Care for Kids Junior Golf Tournament.

The event marked the official tee-off for this year’s Sandals Golf and Jerk Festival, set to return in full swing on May 31, 2025.

Designed to spotlight the island’s rising golf talent, the junior tournament saw 13 golfers competing across three skill categories — putting, chipping, and driving — for a coveted spot in the upcoming festival tournament. In the end, 13-year-old Cavani James took top spot with 28 points out of a possible 30, with second place going to another 13-year-old, Jace Sutherland (22 points), with Kavar Davis, 11-year-old, finishing third on 20 points.

Now in its second year, the junior tournament has become a key qualifier for the Sandals Golf and Jerk Festival, where junior and adult golfers will share the green for an event that blends thrilling sport with mouthwatering Jamaican cuisine.

“This is more than a tournament; it’s a celebration of potential and community,” said Karen Zacca, director of operations at the Sandals Foundation. “Our Care for Kids Junior Golf Programme has been helping young people grow with confidence, discipline, and a sense of purpose, and we’re so proud of what they’re achieving. But this year’s festival is also giving us the chance to do something really special. With the support of Dr Fernandez and the St Ann Health Department, we’re working to bring mobile dental care to children who need it most, especially those living in remote communities or living with special needs. By reaching them where they are, we’re helping to ensure that no child is left out when it comes to accessing basic, preventive healthcare.”

The upcoming Sandals Golf and Jerk Festival promises a dynamic mix of formats, with the course divided into three six-hole sections — scramble, better ball, and alternate shot, each featuring a jerk vendor and beverage station in a friendly competition to win golfers’ taste buds and votes.

“We’ve seen these young players grow not just in skill, but in confidence, maturity, and leadership,” said Jonathan Newnham, director of golf at the Sandals Golf & Country Club. “Some of them started in the programme barely able to swing a club, and now they’re holding their own alongside seasoned adults in a major tournament setting. That’s what this initiative is all about; giving them the tools, the environment, and the encouragement to thrive, both on and off the course. It’s been incredible to watch, and I think this year’s festival is going to be another powerful example of what’s possible when young people are given a shot.”

The Sandals Foundation, celebrating its 16th anniversary this year, continues to make meaningful strides in education, healthcare, and community development. Proceeds from the 2025 festival will support the continued development of the Care For Kids Junior Golf Programme.

The Sandals Foundation extended thanks to its corporate partners, Digicel Jamaica and The Best Dressed Chicken, along with the support of AC Hotel Kingston, Tropicars, Appliance Traders Limited, ATL Automotive, Cafe Blue, Caribbean Assurance Brokers Limited, Clubhouse Brewery, Couples Resorts, Caribbean Producers Jamaica (CPJ), Dolphin Cove, Jamaica Inn, Jamaica Observer, Rainforest Caribbean, Sandals Resorts International, Titleist, Island Routes Caribbean Adventures, Tour Jamaica Destinations, Tradewinds Citrus Limited, and Wisynco Group Limited for making this year’s event possible.

Golfers interested in being a part of this one-of-a-kind fusion of sport, cuisine, and community upliftment can register now. Payments can be made via the Jamaica Golf Association’s online portal at https://www.jgagolfstore.com/.