Golf duo confident ahead of CAC Games

As the 2026 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games gets under way in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica’s golfing hopes will rest squarely on the shoulders of two of the nation’s finest amateurs.

National female champion Mattea Issa and Oshae Haye are set to fly the black, green and gold this weekend at the Corales Golf Club in Punta Cana, competing in the men’s and women’s individual events over a demanding four-day stretch.

Golf, one of 40 disciplines on the multi-sport programme, begins on Saturday.

For Issa and Haye, the path to the podium is narrow and treacherous.

Jamaica, which finished 13th overall at the 2023 games with 19 medals, is sending a highly proficient contingent to the picturesque links to take on perennial contenders Mexico, Puerto Rico, and hosts Dominican Republic.

“It’s a much more selective event with a smaller field,” Issa explained ahead of the tournament.

“But the competition is very high-level. I’m looking forward to the challenge, and I’m grateful that I was selected, and I can’t wait to see what this competition has in store for me.”

What awaits is not just a test of skill, but of endurance. Unlike the standard 54-hole amateur events, the CAC Games will feature a full 72 holes of stroke play, meaning the competitors will play four consecutive rounds without a cut.

“Usually it’s 54, not 72 holes,” Issa noted. “We have two practice rounds and then four days of golf, which is six rounds total. It’s going to be a gruelling and tiresome six days.”

Adding to the physical demands is the nature of the Corales Golf Club, which is an ocean-side layout with six holes perched directly on the water.

Issa said the team has been focused on adapting to the Caribbean coastal conditions, a challenge the duo is uniquely positioned to handle.

“Preparation has been good. We’re just playing a lot of golf here, doing what we can,” Issa said.

“We are lucky enough to have some beautiful golf courses in Montego Bay, a few of which are on the ocean, like Tryall Golf Club and Cinnamon Hill. Oshae, being based in Ocho Rios at Sandals, gets the wind from the ocean all the time. It’s just little things like that that help us better prepare ourselves for this specific course.”

For Haye, who has been putting in the work with coach Jonathan Newnham over the last two months, the focus is on execution.

“I’ve been preparing hard, putting in the work, practising, playing a lot. So the work is being put in. Hopefully, when the tournament comes, we execute it right.”

The challenge does not end in the Dominican Republic. Issa revealed that immediately following the CAC Games, she and Haye will jet off to represent Jamaica once again at the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships. The back-to-back tournaments require careful pacing and mental fortitude.

“We really have to pace ourselves and just see how we can fare with the conditions,” Issa added.