Ultimate Champions bring home the title
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
Bahamas Baseball Federation
President Clarence McKenzie said he was quite pleased with the way his Ultimate Champions Academy baseball team played at the USSSA War on I-4 Tournament in Plant City, Florida, over the weekend.
The Ultimate Champions Sports Academy’s 10-and-under team, comprising of three players from Grand Bahama and the rest from New Providence, defeated the Blitz Baseball from Bartow, Florida, 8-7 to bring home the title.
The team consisted of Elisha Thompson, Bruce Russell (GB),
Caleb Munroe, Jermaine Clarke, Ace Adderley, Malik Sands, Dawson Grey, Myles Culmer (GB), Michael Wilson (GB), Aamir Alleyne, Kendall Brown and Zahmir Rolle.
The team went undefeated in the five games they played in the tournament, beating East Orange Juice 8-5, Southern Squeeze 10U Fort Myers 13-1, Miracles 10U Carolina 10-2 and SWFL Elite Platinum-Holderbach 18-8.
McKenzie, who was assisted by SeDale McKenzie, Sean Adderley and Ryan Sands, said the team “showed resilience” after being down 6-2 in the championship and bouncing back to win the title.
“I was very proud to see the hard work from the boys paid off,” said McKenzie, who noted that this was just one of the 3-4 USSSA Tournament that the Ultimate Champion Sports Academy
participates in during the year. In Sunday’s championship game, Ultimate Champion rallied from four runs to pull off the win.
Ultimate Champions got on the board in the top of the first inning after Munroe was struck by a pitch, and Blitz Baseball 10U committed an error, each scoring one run.
Blitz Baseball 10U flipped the game on its
head in the bottom of the first, scoring five runs on zero hits to take the lead, 5-2.
The biggest blow in the inning was an error that drove in two.
After falling behind 6-2 in the bottom of the second inning, Dawson Grey homered to right field as Ultimate Champions tied the game at six in the top of the fourth.
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
AFTER producing what she felt was a productive indoor track and field season at the University of Tennessee, the Volunteers’ junior quarter-miler Javonya Valcourt is eager to see what the outdoor season holds for her.
The 20-year-old Olympian closed out her indoor season by competing in both the women’s 400 metres and as a member of the Volunteers’ 4 x 400m relay team.
In the 400m, Valcourt finished 12th overall in the preliminaries in 52.31 seconds, which was short of making the top eight to advance to the final and off her lifetime best of 51.78 she ran earlier this year to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
She ran out of the second of four heats in lane three, did the first of the twolap race in 23.94 to move into second, but on the last lap, she was dropped to third and finished in that position.
Eila Onojuvwevwo, a junior at LSU, took the tape in 51.61 with Rachel Joseph, a junior at Iowa State, coming in second in 51.86, as they both advanced.
“I didn’t get the results I wanted in my open 400m, finishing with a time of 52.31 and placing 12th overall, which meant I didn’t advance to the final,” Valcourt said.
“Still, I’m grateful to be among the top 16 runners in the country this indoor season and to have earned Second Team All-American honours.”
GEORGETTE ROLLE-HARRIS LIKES THE DIRECTION THE HIGH SCHOOL GOLF NATIONALS IS HEADED IN
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
GEORGETTE RolleHarris said she likes the direction the Bahamas Golf Federation’s National High School Golf Tournament, sponsored by Capital Union Bank, is headed in.
Since its inception, RolleHarris’ Fourteen Clubs Golf Academy has been organising the event for both private and public schools. This year, teams
from Eleuthera and Andros also participated.
“There was a lot of excitement,” said RolleHarris as she closed the chapter of the 2025 edition of the tournament.
“To have these players come out here and represent their schools is amazing. The level of confidence that we see, even with new players coming into the game, and the willingness to learn a new sport,
THE SPORTS CALENDAR
TRACK NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH all of the schools having completed their track and field championships, the focus of attention will now switch to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s National High School Track and Field Championships. Under the theme: “Breaking Limits,
March
Achieving Greatness,” the three-day event is all set to be held from Thursday to Saturday at the original Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium with athletes with special disabilities competing in their own categories along with the various age group competition.
The Ministry of Sports in conjunction with the
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Ultimate Champions bring home the title
AL EAST PREVIEW: YANKEES AND ORIOLES ARE STILL TALENTED, BUT THE RACE AT THE TOP COULD BE TIGHTER
By NOAH TRISTER AP Baseball Writer
JUAN Soto and Corbin Burnes are gone from the division, and although the Yankees and Orioles can certainly succeed without them, the AL East seems noticeably tougher to predict this year.
In 2023, Baltimore and Tampa Bay won 101 and 99 games, with the rest of the division another 10 games behind. Last year, New York and Baltimore won 94 and 91, and it was again another 10 games back to third place. It would not be a surprise if the top teams were a lot more bunched together this season, and
you can make a case for any number of outcomes for the order of finish.
That said, the Yankees and Orioles still have the two best players in the division in Aaron Judge and Gunnar Henderson, and as much as those teams might have questions on the mound, so does everyone else.
How they project
1. New York Yankees. The Yankees entered last season without Gerrit Cole and still ended up winning the division. This year Cole’s injury is even more serious, but New York added left-hander Max Fried in the offseason. That’s the question for the
Yankees: Did their series of offseason additions — Fried, Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams, to name a few — make up for the loss of Soto to free agency and now Cole to a season-ending injury? There’s plenty that can go wrong, as a spring full of injuries has shown, but Judge is still in his prime and Fried was one of the top pitchers on the market. New York still has to be taken seriously.
2. Baltimore Orioles. It was a fairly boring offseason in Baltimore, so it’s easy to forget what an exciting young core this team still has. Henderson emerged as an MVP candidate last
year, Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser blossomed — and there is still more offensive upside if Adley Rutschman rebounds from a poor second half and Jackson Holliday performs better in his second season. Baltimore may need that hitting improvement because with Burnes in Arizona now — and with Grayson Rodriguez already injured — the pitching staff is a real question mark. The return of closer Félix Bautista, who missed all of 2024, brings some extra upside to the bullpen.
3. Boston Red Sox. While the Yankees and Orioles lost significant stars this offseason, Boston added one in third baseman Alex Bregman. The Red Sox also acquired left-hander Garrett Crochet and righty Walker Buehler. Boston has gone three years without finishing above .500, the first time that’s happened since 1992-94. Now the Red Sox look ready to contend for a playoff spot again, but Bregman’s arrival — and Rafael Devers potentially becoming a designated
hitter — doesn’t necessarily solve Boston’s issues in the middle infield. There’s reason to believe the Red Sox are moving in the right direction, but manager Alex Cora has some tricky decisions to make.
4. Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are always a threat to outpace expectations, but last year their outlook seemed iffy after they traded Tyler Glasnow, and sure enough their win total dropped from 99 to 80. It was their first season under .500 since 2017.
Shane McClanahan returns to the mound after Tommy John surgery, but it’s the offence that is the big concern here. With Tampa Bay playing this season in a spring training facility because of hurricane damage — and the team withdrawing recently from a new ballpark project — suffice it to say the vibes aren’t great.
5. Toronto Blue Jays. In the midst of a disappointing 74-win campaign in 2024, the Blue Jays were sellers at the trade deadline — to a degree. They still kept offensive standouts Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette — due to become free agents after this season — and then added slugging outfielder Anthony Santander in the offseason. Still, the clock is ticking in Toronto. The Blue Jays have eschewed a real rebuild so far, but a poor start could make this
Ministry of Education and the Bahamas Assocation of Athletic Associations will be staging the event, which is expected to attract competitors from throughout the archipelago.
While the competition is slated to get underway at 9am on Thursday, the official opening ceremonies is set for 6pm. Competition will resume at 9am on Friday and wrap up on Saturday, starting at the same time. Admission is $65 for a three-day VIP pass, while a single VIP pass will be $25. General admission will be $5, the finish line access will be $12 and the home stretch access is $10 per day. SuperClubs Breezes is the official sponsor. FAST TRACK ATHLETICS CLUB SPRING FLING INVITATIONAL THE Fast Track Athletics Club is scheduled to hold its 4th annual Spring Fling at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex May 16-17. The event is open to competitors from throughout The Bahamas. The action is slated to begin at 5pm on Friday, May 16 and at 10am on Saturday, May 16. It promises to provide fast competition, perfect prep for championship season and an unmatched island atmosphere in Grand Bahama. The entry fee is $5 for children and $10 for adults. For more information on the meet, persons can email fasttrackmanagement00@ gmail.com
year’s deadline a lot more seismic in Toronto.
The next generation
Believe it or not, Baltimore’s prospect pipeline still hasn’t run dry, with catcher Samuel Basallo and infielder Coby Mayo ranked in the top 15 by MLB Pipeline. Boston could have even more to be excited about with outfielder Roman Anthony (No. 2), utilityman Kristian Campbell (No. 7) and shortstop Marcelo Mayer (No. 12).
A step back The division as a whole slipped in 2024, with the five teams averaging 84 wins. That number was 89.8 in 2023
2025 UNCLE LOU FUN RUN/WALK RACE
HANNA AND MAYCOCK-DORSETT TAKE HOME THE TOP PRIZES
THE 2025 Uncle Lou Fun Run/Walk race is now in the history books with Liesl Hanna, Z. Eve Maycock-Dorsett, taking home the top prizes in the female and male walk and run races.
The Saturday morning early riser was hosted by the St Augustine’s College on their grounds off Bernard Road and Prince Charles. It attracted its largest participation of both former and current students as well as member from the general public.
Hanna captured the overall female title in the walk with Dr Charlene Wallce as the runner-up. Natasha Clarke placed third.
Z. Eve Maycock-Dorsett captured the female run followed by Alisha Wells and Dallas Marsh in the top three spots.
The top male finisher in the walk was David Prabhu. Miguel Dillet was the runner-up and Collin Thompson got third.
And in the men’s run, Jonathan Marsh took the top spot with Kelunn Francis as the runner-up. Ryan Bethel placed third. Here’s a look at the top three finishers in each of the age group divisions:
Female Walkers Under-15 - Isabella Ingraham, Alexia Bain. YUnder-20 - Kiahna Coo0per, JaiDon Haley, Jordan Rolle,. Under-30 - Geeah Thompson. Under-40 Renai Martin, Paige Forbes, Shanee Armbrister. Under-50 - Lori Nelson, Keisha Willims, Lakeisha Bastian.
Over-50 - Liesl Hann, Charlene Wallace, Natasha Clarke.
Over-80 - Linda LaFleur (81 years old).
Female Runners UInder-15 - Dallas Marsh. Under-30 - Alisha Wells. Under-40 - Kerron Gaye Knight.
Under-50 - Z. Eve Maycock-Dorsett, Anastacia Turnquest.
Male Walkers
Under-15 - Andrew Gibson, Don Hall.
Under-20 - Cameron Collie,
Under-30 - Dzahn Smith.
Under-40 b- Miguel Dillet.,
Under-50 - Kenray Marsh, Trevor Tucker.
Over-50 - David Prabhu, Ivan Miller, Keith Lightbourne.
Under-60 - Collin Thompon, Adrian Cargill, Michael Dillet., Male Runners
Under-13 - Ronal Fernander.
Under-17 - Jonathan March, Adian Bain, Va’Ron Pinder.
Under-20 - Kelunn Francis, Coburn Sands, Dinud Fernander.
Under-40 - Larry Pinder. Under-50 - Andrew Fernander.
Over-50 - Ryan Bethel, La Beneby, Larry Saunders.
GROUP of Just Run Bahamas members, shown from left to right are Miguel Dillet, Z. Eve MaycockDorsett, David Prabhu, Liesl Hanna and Collin Thompson.
1ST Female Runner - Z. Eve Maycock Dorsett
1ST Male Walker - David Prabhu
2ND Male Walker - Miguel Dillet
1ST Male Runner - Jonathan Marsh
2ND Place Walker - Dr. Charlene Wallace
1ST Place Walker - Liesl Hanna
2ND Female Runner - Alisha Wells
2ND Male Runner - Kelunn Francis
3RD Place Walker - Natasha Clarke
3RD Male Walker - Collin Thompson
3RD Male Runner - Ryan Bethel
3RD Female Runner - Dallas Marsh
NCA A TOURNAMENT
Strong TV ratings and attendance, women’s basketball in good place heading to NCAA Tournament
By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer
THERE was concern that attendance and overall interest in women’s college basketball would drop this year with the departure of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and other stars for the WNBA.
Both took a dip -- but only a dip. With JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers and a host of other standout players leading the way, attendance across the country was just short of last season’s record numbers in women’s hoops and still the second-highest ever.
More networks showed more games on TV this season and ratings were strong heading into March Madness that starts this week. ESPN will have the lion’s share of tournament games again, but Fox increased its footprint in the sport with five games in primetime on Saturday nights and 18 total on the network.
“There are great stars, great brands, we’ve done more than we have done before and we’re not alone in doing that,” Fox Sports President of Insights and Analytics Mike Mulvihill said.
“The 3-5-10 year trend clearly is an upward trend.”
While the network’s overall ratings are down from last season’s record mark that was due in large part to Clark being on Fox a
lot, Mulvihill is happy with where they are. “To go from zero exposures a few years ago to 18 on our biggest platform speaks to the growth and interest in the sport,” he said. “There’s growing confidence in this building that we can put it on broadcast and justify it. I love that we are able to put games on in primetime. It means something to the coaches and players.” Having great matchups helps. The game between Watkins’ USC and Bueckers’ UConn on Dec. 21 was shown in primetime after an NFL game and averaged 2.2 million viewers, peaking at nearly 3.8 million. That was the second-most watched women’s game on the network behind only Clark’s game last year when she set the NCAA scoring record.
The network also helped spearhead two new tournaments this year with the Champions Classic and the Coretta Scott King Invitational. Both were renewed for next season.
CBS showed the third matchup of the season between UCLA and USC, two of the top teams in the country, in the Big Ten title game and it drew 1.44 million viewers, trailing only last season’s league championship which saw Clark and Iowa win.
ESPN had big numbers with regular-season ratings up 3% from last year and 41% from two seasons ago. This was the most watched
SOUTHERN California guard JuJu Watkins (12) looks to drive on UCLA forward Angela Dugalic (32) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Big Ten Conference tournament in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
year for the network before the NCAAs since 2008-09 (the network didn’t have many of Clark’s regularseason games at Iowa last season).
A doubleheader on Feb. 16 was huge for ESPN: UConn vs. South Carolina drew 1.8 million viewers while LSU vs. Texas had 1.7 million. In all, 15 games on ESPN networks averaged
over 500,000 viewers, the most in a single year.
ESPN, which owns the rights to the NCAA Tournament and shows women’s games every week during the season, has faith that March Madness will deliver.
Women’s basketball programming director Dan Margulis knows that the network had a perfect storm last season to achieve
the record ratings that saw the women’s championship game outdraw the men. Clark, a generational player, had guided Iowa back to the championship game where they were facing an undefeated South Carolina team looking for its own place in history.
“We’re looking at early rounds and everything growing going into it,”
Margulis said. “Compared to two years ago, we see that growth.” It wasn’t just the championship game that drew huge numbers. A rematch between Reese and Clark in the Elite Eight game was massive as well. “Certainly the floor has risen dramatically,” said lead ESPN announcer Rebecca Lobo.
“The expectation for this year’s tournament, Final Four or national championship shouldn’t be what we saw a year ago. Will it be better than pre-Caitlin? That floor should be much higher than it was.” While there isn’t an undefeated team this year or a generational player like Clark on her last run, there is more parity in the sport. People aren’t just watching on TV, but also showing up at games. The power conferences had strong attendance marks. The SEC led the way, setting numerous conference records, including total for its tournament and the mark in both the semis and the finals. The Big Ten had its second-highest average attendance in the last 15 years. “Granted we get to see some of the best ones, but the energy was different throughout the country,” Lobo said. “The South Carolina-LSU game on a Thursday night with 2,500 students has a different energy. The increase from students across the country has made for incredible environments.”
NCA A TOURNAMENT
March Madness tips off with First Four in Dayton
By JEFF WALLNER Associated Press
DAYTON, Ohio (AP)
— North Carolina was a controversial selection for the NCAA Tournament, but the Tar Heels can silence some skeptics with a win over San Diego State on Tuesday night at the First Four.
The winner will face No. 6 seed Mississippi on Friday in Milwaukee.
The Tar Heels (22-13) seemed a long shot to make the tournament with a 1-12 record in Quadrant 1 games, but were chosen Sunday thanks to a strong nonconference schedule and other metrics.
“I didn’t listen to bracketology,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said Monday. “I didn’t listen after our name was selected on CBS. I didn’t listen to the telecasts. I haven’t listened to anybody’s comments in regards to selections, seedings. I know that we’re really excited to be a part of this, and we’re looking forward to tomorrow night.”
UNC’s inclusion fueled some conspiracy theories, with athletic director Bubba Cunningham being chair of the selection committee.
Rules state that Cunningham could not participate in the debate about his team, so the vice chair, Sun Belt Conference commissioner Keith Gill, presided over discussions about the Tar Heels.
The knock against North Carolina was a lack of Quad 1 wins. But the Tar Heels
played the nation’s fifthtoughest nonconference schedule, which included games against No. 1 NCAA Tournament seeds Auburn and Florida, No. 2 seeds Alabama and Michigan State, and a trip to Kansas, which earned a No. 7 seed. And the Tar Heels had higher rankings in the NET (36th), KenPom (33rd) and BPI (25th) than West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio State and Boise State, the first four teams left out of the field.
Additionally, they finished slightly ahead of the Mountaineers for best among that group in Wins Above Bubble (WAB), a metric added this year looking at how many more or fewer wins a team has against its schedule compared to what a bubble team would expect.
Regardless, San Diego State (21-9) isn’t going to make things easy for the Tar Heels.
The Aztecs lead the nation in field goal percentage defense (.378) and rank 13th in defensive efficiency.
“I think our identity is in our defense and our effort,” forward Jared ColemanJones said. “I think that if we play really good defense and we play with effort and we play with swagger, I think everything else is going to handle itself.”
RJ Davis carries the load for the Tar Heels, averaging 17 points and 3.7 assists per game.
The No. 11 seed is the lowest ever for North Carolina, which is making its
NORTH Carolina guard RJ Davis celebrates after scoring against Wake Forest during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C.
54th NCAA Tournament appearance, second-most to Kentucky’s 62. Despite the questions about their resume, the Tar Heels practiced on Sunday and prepared to play.
“I think we’ve all kind of felt the hate, the disagreement, all that,” guard Seth Trimble said. “We’re just running with it. We definitely feel like we’ve got something to prove.”
Familiar foes When No. 11 seeds Texas and Xavier play on Wednesday night in Dayton, it will mark the fourth time since 1990 the teams have met in the NCAA Tournament.
The Longhorns (19-15) beat the Musketeers 83-71 in the 2023 Sweet 16. In 2004, Xavier beat Texas
79-71 to reach the Elite
Eight before losing to topseeded Duke 66-63.
Zach Freemantle returned from injury and averaged 19.8 points during a seven-game winning streak to close the regular season, helping the Musketeers (21-11) return to the tournament after missing out last year.
The First Four extends the standout freshman season for Longhorns guard Tre Johnson, who led the SEC in scoring with 19.8 points per game.
The Longhorns and Musketeers were firmly on the bubble entering Selection Sunday.
The winner will face No. 6 seed Illinois on Friday night in Milwaukee.
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
“It’s so difficult to make the tournament,” Xavier coach Sean Miller said. “There’s so much invested. We played our best basketball as we entered March.”
Unlikely dancers Saint Francis (PA) made an unlikely return to the University of Dayton Arena after becoming the 19th team to reach the NCAA Tournament with a losing record. The Red Flashes (16-17) lost their season opener 87-57 to the Dayton Flyers on Nov. 4, and few would have predicted they’d return to the same building in March.
“We’re obviously very excited we’ve already played here before,” Saint Francis guard Riley Parker
said. “The first game we played here didn’t turn out our way, so we’re just trying to come back here and make it right.” Saint Francis is making its second NCAA Tournament appearance, first since 1991.
The Red Flashes face Alabama State (19-15) in a matchup of No. 16 seeds on Tuesday night. The Hornets’ last tournament appearance was in 2011. The winner will face No. 1 overall seed Auburn on Thursday in Lexington, Kentucky.
Teams with losing records entering the NCAA Tournament have gone 0-18.
Deep threat No. 16 seeds American (22-12) and Mount St. Mary’s (22-12) meet in Dayton on Wednesday night, with the winner earning a date with No. 1 seed Duke in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday.
The player to watch for American is 6-foot-9 Matt Rogers, who leads the team with 59 3-pointers. His 1.7 made 3s per game ranked 12th in the Patriot League.
Dola Adebayo leads Mount St. Mary’s with 13.2 points per game. The Mountaineers averaged more than 70 points per game and shot 34% from 3-point range this season.
The two Washington D.C. area programs have a long history. This will be the 71st meeting between the schools. American leads the series 37-33, including four straight wins entering Wednesday.
South Andros’ six-member team’s presence felt at National High School Golf Championships
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
SOUTH Andros’ coach
Akili Hamilton said their six-member team made their presence felt at the Bahamas Golf Federation’s Capital Union Bank’s National High School Golf Championships.
The event was held from Monday to Friday last week at the BGF’s Driving Range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, featuring teams from the public and private schools in New Providence. A team from South Andros and Central Eleuthera also participated for the first time.
“The experience for everybody was a good one because this is something that has never been done before and they were afraid of it,” Hamilton said.
“But we tried to get them to explore other avenues. It was hard for them at first, but because of this experience, it will only get easier for them. Some of them got discouraged because they played against seasoned players who play on the junior national team. But for their first time, they held their own.”
The scores for the golfers didn’t matter. What did, according to Hamilton, was the fact that they got their feet wet and now they have something to build on for the future.
“They didn’t get it at first, but now the competition intensified, they got it,” he said. “Instead of playing the course, they were watching the other players. If they saw someone hit a good ball, they got timid. But overall, they had a blast.”
Earl Miller, who started the golf programme in Andros, but turned it over to Hamilton, said the experience for their golfers was huge.
“This is their first time ever on a golf course, so the adjustments they have to make now is to read the greens, the slopes and the putting differences,” he said.
“Those things will come with practice. If we can come up at least one a quarter and practice on this course, they will be right up there with their counterparts.”
Miller said to see how well the players performed, sitting right in the middle of the pack in their respective divisions, he was very pleased and excited about the future.
“I know some of them are not sure if they want to continue in the sport, but I think that’s just because of the adjustments that they
had to make to compete,” he said.
“But when you see them hit a shot and the smiles and high fives they were giving and getting, that is what will help them. They have to realise that even the professional golfers don’t play well every day. They just have to make the adjustment and come back the next day.”
The three players who participated in the high school segment of the tournament, had varied reactions to their performances.
Jamaal Bain, 15, said he was happy with what he did on the final day of competition on Friday where he shot a 51, as opposed to the first day on Thursday with 66 for his final score of 117.
“The first day, I wasn’t hitting any balls but today (Friday), I made some adjustments,” said Bain, who admitted that he hit a few balls into the water.
“I have to work on my putting and chipping.”
The versatile tennis, track and field, soccer and basketball player said he will have to think about whether or not he will continue in golf because it’s a lot more challenging than the other sports.
Akela Hamilton, 17, said golf helps her with her accuracy and patience in many ways, so instead of concentrating on track, she wanted to try her hand at the new sport. She shot rounds of 61 and 57 for her two-day total of 118 for 12th place.
“It was a very interesting experience because at first, I didn’t know that the hat I’m wearing does not block all of the sun,” she pointed out. “Secondly, once you align yourself with the flags in the holes, you can basically hit any shot.
“And finally, once you take your time, everything can be a hole in one. So that is something I have to work on, especially my putting. That is my main thing.”
Having quit basketball, which she feels is not her strong suit anymore, Hamilton said she intends to continue with golf as she adds it to her participation in her favourite sport of volleyball, as well as track and field and soccer.
She thanked her father Akili Hamilton and Earl Miller for affording her the opportunity to get involved in another sport. She said she will definitely encourage others to join when she gets back to South Andros.
But her brother, Akili Hamilton Jr, 14, said it was difficult for him, unlike tennis, which he prefers to play. He ended up 20th overall with 66-63 for 129.
“All of the holes were tough. I keep hitting the ball bad,” he said, noting that he hit the ball twice in the water. “I just have to work on my stand when I hit the ball. “I need more time to train myself before I play again.”
South Andros also competed in the primary school segment with Adoniyah Culmer shooting 63 and Jemia Smith and Ojefoh Osareme with 66 each in their respective age groups.
Coach Hamilton said they will take their players back into the lab and work on some things to get them better prepared for next year.
“Now everybody knows who we are. They walk around the golf course and they say ‘oh. that’s the kids from South Andros, they could play.’ We just need more people to help us to get to where we need to be.”
Miller assured the other teams that next year, South Andros will be well represented.
But Hamilton said having “lit a fire,” they just need some sponsors to come on board and help South Andros “burn the
competition down.” He noted that they have some more players on the island who are waiting to “catch the spark.”
He said they hope to bring a bigger contingent and compete even better. But he said while they have some golf clubs, they
RORY MCILROY TAKES DRAMA OUT OF PLAYOFF TO WIN THE PLAYERS AND BUILD MOMENTUM TO THE MASTERS
By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer
PONTE VEDRA
BEACH, Florida (AP) —
The playoff was only three holes. Rory McIlroy needed only three swings. And yet his victory yesterday over J.J. Spaun in The Players Championship revealed so much about the state of his game and the cruel nature of the notorious TPC Sawgrass.
McIlroy delivered an early knockout against J.J. Spaun with his best drive of the week that set up a simple birdie, followed by a three-quarter 9-iron into a cold, cackling wind that found land on the island green at the par-3 17th.
“By no means did I have my best stuff this week,” McIlroy said after becoming the eighth multiple winner of The Players. “But I was still able to win one of the biggest tournaments in the world. That’s a huge thing.”
It’s the first time in his career he has won twice
going into the Masters, the major that for more than a decade has kept him from joining golf’s most elite group with the career Grand Slam.
Spaun thought he had the perfect answer until he saw his 8-iron sail over the island on the second playoff hole, ending his hopes of the biggest win of his career. “Can I watch this?” Spaun said as he sat at a table, his eyes trained on a television in the back of the media center showing a replay of his tee shot on the 17th. It was his first time seeing where the ball landed — just beyond the wooden frame and into the water. He had heard only groans from the gallery. And he still couldn’t believe it.
“I never thought it was long,” he said quietly. “I never thought it was long.”
So ended a memorable week at golf’s richest tournament, where thousands of spectators showed up in the cold and wind for 47
minutes of golf between McIlroy — among the most celebrated players who now has 39 worldwide wins — and Spaun, a 34-year-old with one PGA Tour title who until this week had never broken 70 on the TPC Sawgrass.
McIlroy said he woke up at 3am and couldn’t get back to sleep. Whether this was about trying to win or trying not to lose — he had a three-shot lead with five holes to play in the final round Sunday — didn’t matter. He worked on his tee shot with the same helping wind off the right. To practice in the right wind for the 17th, McIlroy turned and hit balls from the range toward the third green.
McIlroy had been spotty off the tee all week, missing nearly half of his fairways. He set the tone with his best of the week, a 336-yard blast right down the middle that set up a pitching wedge from 176 yards into the par-5 16th for a two-putt birdie from 35 feet.
“I thought if I could get the ball in the fairway there, it sort of puts a little bit of pressure on J.J.,” he said. “To step up and make that swing was awesome.”
And then it effectively ended on the 17th.
“When my ball was in the air, I was telling it to get down,” McIlroy said.
Spaun hit his 8-iron with a higher trajectory into a hurting wind off the right, and his first instinct was to yell, “Get up.”
“It just looked like it was going to be short,” Spaun said. “I was stunned. I couldn’t believe it was long. I’m happy with the swing I put on it — I am. The wind must have just laid down just a little too much, and it just went through the wind.
Wasn’t my time.” The first three-hole playoff in 10 years at The Players was caused by a four-hour rain delay on Sunday. McIlroy had to make a 4-foot par putt on the 72nd hole. Spaun had a 30-foot birdie putt for the
win that stopped inches short.
McIlroy, disappointed and having lost a threeshot lead on the back nine, looked ahead to the playoff by saying, “Make five good swings tomorrow morning and get this thing done.”
Turns out he only needed three — the driver and wedge on No. 16, the 9-iron on No. 17 — to beat Spaun and claim the $4.5 million prize from the $25 million purse. It was reminiscent of a 2008 playoff between Sergio Garcia and Paul Goydos, back when the 17th was used in sudden death. Garcia hit the green. Goydos came up short and into the water, and there is no lonelier walk than to the drop zone knowing it’s over.
Spaun wound up threeputting from 45 feet for triple bogey. McIlroy ran his 30-footer well past the hole for a bogey, giving him a three-shot lead. Both hit drives well right on the 18th. McIlroy took a safe bogey and Spaun didn’t bother
putting the 10-footer he had left for bogey.
Any mention of The Players being the fifth major or even resembling one is not where McIlroy wants to go right now because he knows the real one — the big one — is a month away at Augusta National. The trick now is to keep his game in good stead. He also won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last month. He plans to add one more start in Houston or San Antonio before the Masters.
“Everything feels like it’s in good working order at the minute,” he said. “Just keep practicing and doing the right things and practicing the right habits, and day after day, week after week, they all add up to days like today.”
Spaun won $2,725,000 for his runner-up finish and moved to No. 25 in the world ranking, high enough that he is assured a spot in the Masters. “A good consolation to the week,” Spaun said.
could use some mats, a place to train and some financial assistance to help the players get into the capital.
SOUTH Andros golf team of coach Akili Hamilton Sr, Akili Hamilton Jr, Akela Hamilton, Jamaal Bain and coach Earl Miller.
SOUTH Andros coach Akili Hamilton with players Adoniyah Culmer, Ojefoh Osareme and Jemia Smith.
Georgette Rolle-Harris:
these players
‘To have
come out here and represent their schools is amazing’
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it just shows the depth and reach for which golf has and can get to.”
Rolle-Harris said she was particularly pleased as having teams from South Andros and Central Eleuthera was huge because they got to see the potential for the sport on islands that don’t have access to golfing facilities. “They had some of their players who scored well, despite not playing the sport before, so it shows that you just don’t need golf access to play, but you can practice certain aspects of the game and when you get to the tournament, you compete.
“So all you need is a desire to be a part of something and the will to hone your skills and you can see some great things happening as we’ve seen in 2024 where we were at 308 players and now in 2025, we are over 450 players.”
Dianna Kainz, a committee member responsible for registration and scoring, said this year’s event was very successful with a “great turnout” with at least 100 golfers participating in each day of competition from last Monday to Friday.
“It’s available to anybody. Anybody can come out and play,” she said.
“The schools bring these players and introduce them to the sport and they have done a tremendous job.”
Kainz, however, said as the tournament’s numbers continue to increase, they will need more volunteers to assist as well as an injection from more of corporate Bahamas to match the demands.
Ricardo Underwood, the chief financial officer for JS Johnson, one of the major sponsors, said it was an awesome week of golf.
He said he was pleased that they have been able to
continue to assist with their annual sponsorship.
“Our numbers were up from last year and it was up from the year before, so the sport of golf is growing strong,” Underwood said. “We’re looking forward to work is to come.”
Underwood, who had a daughter competing for Queen’s College, said this was the fourth year of JS Johnson’s involvement and he was very pleased to see that their dollars were well spent.
And Sheryl Carey, who represented Pineapple Airlines, said she started playing golf recently but when the opportunity came to get involved in the tournament, she couldn’t refuse because she enjoys helping young people in our community.
“Anytime we can use any aspect to help young people, we will be willing to do it,” she said. “We combined with Western Air to assist the
golfers coming out of Andros. So, I want to thank both airlines for their contribution.”
Carey assured Rolle-Harris that their partnership in junior golf is just the beginning.
Rolle-Harris said her committee will continue to look at ways to improve the level of competition in the tournament like they did this year, giving the high school players a twoday tournament as opposed to just one in the past.
“If our numbers continue to grow like this, it will lead us to our end goal, which is to match what happens in the US and the UK where players compete in qualifying tournaments leading up to the nationals,” she projected.
“So I think we are well on our way. The PE teachers and the players are all interested and we got a lot of feedback on things that we will put in place. We’re really excited and looking forward to 2026.”
Photos by Jermaine Chambers
AIDAN GOROSPE
GRACE CRAWFORD
CAMDYN FORBES
SOUTH Eleuthera’s coach Brandyt Albury with players Perez Williams and Gabriel Fox.
LEONARDO BISTERZO
MADDISON CARROLL
MAXIMILIAN LANDRY
ROISIN SCANTON
GSSSA TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS HIGHLIGHTS
Javonya Valcourt eager to see what outdoor season holds for her
Valcourt came back and ran the second fastest split of 50.75, anchoring Tennessee to a thirdplace finish in the last of three heats for third place overall in 3:27.25.
Her team-mates included Cydney Wright, who led off in 54.11, Brianna White on second in 50.70 and Esther Joseph on third in 51.71, as Tennessee ended up fourth overall.
“I’m especially proud of how we finished in the 4x400m relay - our team placed 4th overall, and I ran the anchor leg with a 50.75 split, helping us secure First Team All-American honours,” she said.
“It was a strong way to close out the indoor season, and I’m happy to walk away with a new indoor PR of 51.76 which I ran at SEC indoors.”
With indoors now behind her, Valcourt said she’s looking forward to the outdoor season and what’s to come.
“I’m feeling motivated and hopeful for even bigger
performances,” she summed up.
Valcourt, who represents a new era of quarter-milers for The Bahamas, made her international breakthrough at the Olympic Games last year in Paris, France.
She was a part of the Bahamas’ mixed 4 x 400m relay team that included Miller, Alonzo Russell and Quincy Penn. The team didn’t make it out of the preliminary round, running 3:14.58 for eighth place.
This year, the focus will be on the 20th World Athletics in Tokyo, Japan, from September 13-21 and Valcourt’s aim is not just to be a competitor on the relay team, but a participant in the open 400m where she has a personal best of 51.15 she posted last year. The former Queen’s College standout who went on to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, is currently majoring in information science at Tennessee. She is the daughter of Jacqueline Casseus.
MONACO (AP) — Former half-marathon world record holder Kibiwott Kandie is suspended while under investigation for failing to provide a doping sample, the Athletics Integrity Unit said on Friday.
Track and field’s investigation body said Kandie has been charged with “evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection.”
The AIU gave
Photos by Chappell Whyms Jr