LJGA Alumni Aaron Jarvis tees it up at Augusta National this week after a win at the Latin American Amateur Championship in January
This week, LJGA alumni Aaron Jarvis will become the first player from the Cayman Islands to ever play The Masters. The nineteen-year-old from the Cayman Islands made a big splash in January becoming the first-ever Cayman Islands golfer to win the Latin American Amateur Championship (LAAC). He is also the first golfer from the Cayman Islands to receive an invitation to The Masters.
Jarvis, a freshman at the University of Las Vegas Nevada was a seemingly unexpected winner at the LAAC event, upsetting many heavy hitters including, the 2020 LAAC Champion Abel Gallegos. Likely to his advantage, Jarvis will enter The Masters week mildly under the radar and is a bit of a question mark to many. But for those who know Aaron, The Masters is the perfect place to introduce the vibrant Caribbean superstar.
A Masters tradition, Jarvis will spend the night in the crow’s nest, one of the most historic places at Augusta, an invitation reserved only for amateurs competing in the championship. He will then spend the rest of the week with his family who has traveled from the Cayman Islands to support him, surely checking an unexpected item off the bucket list. Jarvis will also be joined by Coach Zach Parker from LJGA who will help continue his preparations for the week.
Jarvis has had several looks at the course– two in February and three full days of play last week to study the infamous nuances of Augusta National. The first look included Aaron’s brother, Andrew, who inspired him to pick up the game. The second trip included Coach Zach Parker and a local caddy.
“It’s a truly amazing course and one you have to see to believe. We mapped out a game plan that Aaron feels confident with. Most of the round was spent adjusting to the speed of the greens and taking in as much local knowledge as possible. The course played quite long, with some longer irons and woods into the par 4s. With Aaron, the length should not be an issue, but definitely an adjustment,” says Parker of the 2022 course setup. “Another thing is trying to hit a 20 ft putt only 3 ft and letting the slopes take the ball, sometimes you’re aiming in the opposite direction of the hole,” Parker continues. “It takes time to wrap your head around it.” Last week Aaron continued his preparation, playing three days of 27 and 36-hole days.
Jarvis will tee it up this week with the support of Coach Zach Parker and UNLV Men’s Golf Head Coach Phillip Rowe.