SINGAPORE - A golf swing often requires perfect timing and for the CarTimes Singapore Junior Development Tour (SJDT) Championship, that is exactly what it got.

With Monday (June 21) allowing for further easing of Covid-19 measures under phase three (heightened alert), 72 amateurs were able to tee off at Laguna National Golf and Country Club's Masters course for the two-day tournament.

The event, sanctioned by Sport Singapore, is recognised by the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS).

Event organisers LLD Sports Management and Development said the competition would be "strictly" policed to ensure participants complied with the safe distancing regulations.

Its founder and managing director Lyn Yeo, 58, noted more volunteers were recruited to "ensure that the flights of players would be segregated and prevent intermingling between groups".

She added that the 20 event volunteers were mostly vaccinated, as an additional precaution, while parents of the players were not allowed on the course to reduce the risk of crowding.

Kevin Kwee, 51, executive director of Laguna National, added: "Junior golfers, or athletes, have a very tight window. They need to compete as much as possible to further their development. We're very pleased to be able to allow all these golfers a chance to compete."

The tournament was previously scheduled for May 31. CarTimes Automotive committed $20,000 as title sponsors and "a small percentage of their proceeds for every car they sell going forward" to the SJDT programme.

National player Shannon Tan, 17, shot a one-under 71 to lead the girls' Under-18 category by four shots from Hailey Loh.

The winner will qualify for the Singapore Ladies Masters Championship, to be held in December. That is a professional event held under the China LPGA.

Shannon, who is ranked 227th under the WAGR, said: "It's good to have competitions, as it's something to aim towards and look forward to.

"We're all happy that the tournament was able to proceed."