Adam Jarvis grew up just 15 minutes from one of the Cayman Islands’ two golf courses and would go there every day after school and stay until it got dark.
The Cayman Islands has a population of just under 70,000. The 2019 Masters — the last one that ticket sales were normal for — had an estimated 40,000 patrons on-site during tournament rounds.
“This is, boom, just thousands of people right in front of your face. Obviously, you’re nervous at times when you first start off in the round, but then it got more comfortable as the day went on.”
“There’s not much golf there, but in 2013, the Cayman Islands Golf Association hosted the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships, and my older brother was playing in it,” said the 19-year-old Aaron Jarvis recently.
Jarvis got the golf bug from his older brother and only took up the game when he was already almost a teenager.
Jarvis is a freshman at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, the same place that 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott attended.
Jarvis’ road to Augusta National is one of a kind and he is the first golfer from the Cayman Islands to ever compete in the event.
In January he won the Latin American Amateur Championship, which was formed in 2014 to develop amateur golf throughout South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. His victory meant entrance to both the Masters and the Open Championship at St. Andrews.
Make the most of it and have fun!
“It’s just a special tournament. It means a lot to me and to everyone in that region, obviously. I knew I could win it, I just had to be patient and I managed to come out on top.”
Even before the Masters started, Jarvis has had life-changing experiences at Augusta National. On Monday he played a practice round with Brooks Koepka and on Tuesday Jon Rahm teed off with him. He even had a run-in with Tiger Woods on Sunday during his practice round.
“I was turning 9 and I saw Tiger hop out in front of me, and it was me and the U.S. Am champion. You know, there’s no better ‘No’ from — or better rejection from Tiger Woods, right? So, I thought would I give it a shot. I ran up to him and ran through the woods and asked, ‘Mr. Woods, are you playing by yourself, or can we join?’
‘I’m just going to play by myself today.’
It was pretty cool seeing him playing in front of me. And after the round, I got to talk to him and Joe for 10 minutes or so, and it was just incredible.”
Jarvis has been collecting pieces of advice from every pro he’s met this week. He can the advice in one sentence: “go out with confidence, be yourself and have fun with it.”
Jarvis is renting a house with 13 of his family members just 20 minutes from Augusta National this week.