Jarryd Dillas produced Bermuda’s best round on the penultimate day of the World Amateur Team Championships in Mexico yesterday.

Teeing off on the back nine at the Mayakoba El Camaleon Golf Club for the second straight day, this year’s Men’s Order of Merit champion carded a two-over-par 73, his lowest round so far at the event.

Dillas’s score coupled with team-mate Eric West’s eight-over 79 had Bermuda coming in at ten-over for a three-round total of 22-over.

Dillas, who is also the reigning Bermuda Match Play champion, got off to a shaky start with a double bogey on the first hole after his tee shot found the water hazard, but steadied the ship after rolling in two birdies to make the turn at one over.

He endured a roller-coaster ride on the back nine, bogeying three of the first six holes to go to three over.

But once again he managed to regain his footing, carding a fourth birdie of the round on the penultimate hole to sign off on a more positive note.

“The score may have been better, but it was a real grind out there, hard work all the way round,” Dillas said. “I felt my swing was a bit off today and just tried to keep the ball in play and limit the damage.”

West carded Bermuda’s lowest round of one-over-par 72 in the second round, but lost momentum yesterday.

“I didn’t play badly,” the former touring professional said. “Just a few loose shots off the tee caused me to lose some balls coupled with a few three putts and it doesn’t take much to run up a number out here.”

Mark Phillips, the remaining member of Bermuda’s squad, found the going the toughest and had to settle for 11-over.

“I just couldn’t get it together today,” he said.

Bermuda started the third round tied for 47th and at last check yesterday were tied for 49th.

The island is among the 71 countries competing for the Eisenhower Trophy in the men’s division.

Each team has two or three players and plays 18-holes of stroke play for four days. In each round, the total of the two lowest scores from each team constitutes the team score for the round while the four-day total is the team’s score for the championship.

The tournament concludes today with Bermuda’s trio playing their final round at the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club, where they carded an eight-over-par, 152 in the opening round.

n The Fairmont Southampton has announced that the Bacardi National Par 3 Championship will be returning to its Turtle Hill Golf Club for the seventh consecutive year from February 25 to 26.

The top finishers of the championship will be invited to play in the Grey Goose World Par 3 Championship in March.

Qualifying for the Bacardi National Par 3 Championship starts this month and ends on Sunday, February 12.

Entry is free, and to qualify, players must submit a countersigned scorecard from Turtle Hill Golf Club.

For those interested in learning more about Turtle Hill Golf Club, there will be an open house event from September 28 to October 3. For more information on the Bacardi National Par 3 Championship contact Paul Adams at Paul.Adams@fairmont.com.