One of the organisers behind the collegiate golf event in Bermuda hopes it will prove to be the first of many.

Brian Farrer, the men’s and women’s golf coach at Berry College, has been instrumental in getting this month’s Bermuda Invitational up and running, and is bringing his men’s team to the Island alongside those from four other NCAA Division III colleges; Hapden-Sydney, LaGrange, Randolph Macon and Piedmont.

As it stands, NCAA rules limit college teams to playing international events once every three years although there are exceptions to that rule, with Puerto Rico, Bahamas and other Caribbean destinations all regular destinations for big Division I schools.

“Coming here has been a no-brainer,” Farrer said. “Hopefully other teams are going to see that. I’d like to talk to the NCAA to see if an exception can be made.”

The first opportunity for Farrer to do that will be at the coaches’ convention in September, but he believes once word about the event gets out talks will take place.

“Teams can play in Puerto Rico, and Bahamas and all that stuff year in, year out, but we can’t in Bermuda, and Bermuda’s closer than the West Coast,” he said. “I’m wondering if there is some kind addendum or exception that could be made so that we can include Bermuda on there, let’s do this, and let’s have a couple of tournaments out there every year.

“Let’s get a big Division I tournament out there and play Port Royal Golf Course and Mid Ocean Club, and let’s get some [Division] twos and [Division] threes out there and play Port Royal, and just have a big time.”

Initially organisers had planned to have eight teams in the tournament, that has dropped to five, but with 40 golfers involved Farrer believes that might be a blessing in disguise.

“We’re starting out cosy this year, but it will grow,” he said.

The tournament is part of Berry’s regular season schedule, and Farrer said he had the college’s “110 per cent” backing for the trip, which he hopes will benefit not only his players, but the college at large.

“The big thing for me is the student-athlete experience,” he said. “For them to be able to pack it up with the team, get a passport, and a lot of them have never travelled outside of the country, and I think it’s going to be a big eye-opener.

“But it’s a recruitment tool too. I want to get Berry College’s name out in Bermuda, I would love to see some kids come our way, and then [at home] kids will look at my schedule, see that we go to California and Bermuda, and think wow.”

The teams will arrive in Bermuda on Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21, with the tournament taking place at Port Royal on Monday, March 23rd and Tucker’s Point Club the following day.