ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

PACED BY their team captains, Ben Martin and Martine De Gannes, Trinidad and Tobago secured an early lead in the 20th Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship (CAJGC) Hank James Trophy event on Tuesday's opening day.

With 48 points from generally strong play in all six categories, T&T led the Dominican Republic (44) by four at the end of round one at the par-72 Cedar Valley course.

Defending champions Puerto Rico are stalking the front-runners on 39.5 points.

Martin carded an even-par 72 to grab a clear lead in the Boys' 16-17 category, ahead of Puerto Rico's Leopoldo Garcia (73).

Meanwhile, De Gannes shot an 84 and with her teammate Kelsey Lou Hing a single shot behind, the Trinidad and Tobago pair held a healthy lead in the Girls' 16-17 division.

Third place in that division belonged on Tuesday evening to the Barbadian MaryInce, whose 89 placed her three shots in front of the Bahamian Danielle Robinson.

Top spot

In the Boys' 14-15, the Dominican Republic's Marco Polanco and Ramon Genao shared the top spot with Trinidad and Tobago's Timothy Martin after they all carded four-over 76 first-round scores.

Aleema Jack gave T&T a fourth category lead when she shot 77 to set the pace against the chasing Puerto Rican Patricia Garcia (78) and T&T's Monica Sealy (81) in the Girls' 14-15.

The Bahamian Benjamin Davis and Ramon Brenes of the Dominican Republic, shot 77s to share the lead in the Boys' 13s division, two strokes ahead of third-placed Barbadian Warren Bynoe.

Barbados secured a category lead when Serena Smith shot an 85 to lead the Girls' 13s by two shots over Puerto Rican Maria Torres, followed by T&T's Anneke Ward (89) and Natalya Rahamatula (90).

In the Hank James Trophy race, fourth-placed Barbados are on 36 points, 3.5 adrift of Puerto Rico, followed by the Bahamas (26), and Jamaica (25), with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States in seventh spot on 20.5 points.