Jarryd Dillas and Tariqah Walikraam were comfortable winners as they began the defence of their Bermuda Match Play Championships titles yesterday at Mid Ocean Club.

Winds out of the southwest of about 30 knots made conditions particularly challenging on the exposed holes, as Dillas beat promising junior Kheary Swan 6 and 4 in their quarter-final match. Walikraam also had holes to spare in her 5 and 4 win over Gina Zangrillo, a regular visitor from Connecticut.

Dillas will meet veteran Robert Vallis in today’s semi-final, after Vallis beat Michael Lindo, also 6 and 4, while in the other semi-final in the men’s championship, Arthur Jones will meet Mark Phillips, who lost to Dillas in last year’s final. Jones stopped Michael McCrimmon 4 and 3 while Phillips beat Spencer Wideman by two holes in the other match, setting the stage for two exciting semi-finals today.

Walikraam reached the last four of the women’s championship, where she will play Carol Jones, who eventually got past Linda Down at the 20th hole. Susan Vallis will meet Katrin Burnie in the other semi-final after their victories by one, Vallis edging Anne O’Neill and Burnie defeating Stephanie Lewis-Pullen.

In the senior men’s championship, Gray Yancey moved a step closer to defending his title when he comfortably stopped Angelo Pimental 8 and 6 to set up a meeting with Lynn Shackelford in today’s semi-final. Shackelford beat Timothy James 2 and 1, while in the other matches, Tom Eberhard beat William Lang 4 and 2 and Gary Carr saw off Gary Brangman 5 and 4.