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Dugas masters windswept course for victory

In the swing: Eric Dugas, of the United States, claimed victory at the Turtle Hill Golf Club yesterday

Eric Dugas won the Dark n Stormy World Par 3 Championship at the first attempt at a windswept Turtle Hill Golf Club yesterday.The PGA of America player carded a final round one-over par 55 to finish the 36-hole championship at three under par.Dugas held a share of the lead with multiple Goslings Invitational winner Joe Horowitz going into the final round after the pair both shot 50 the previous day.The American, who resides on the Hawaiian island of Maui Maui, took the lead for good after Horowitz made the first of back-to-back bogeys on the 6th hole and never looked back.“My only goal was to just keep the ball where you can chip and putt it,” Dugas said. “It was too much wind and you weren’t going to have a ton of great birdie looks, but you could get yourself in trouble in the other direction.“I just tried to control the ball, keep it low off the tee like everyone else was trying to do, and was just able to execute and made some putts. I putted very well this week; I rolled it really well.”The former PGA Tour Latinoamerica player pocketed the $10,000 winner’s share of the overall $50,000 purse and also secured exemption to the PGA Tour Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course in October.“It’s exciting; I’ll have to put it on the calendar,” said Dugas, who has already made seven appearances on the PGA Tour. “Some of my buddies play out there so I will get a chance to stroll around with them for the week and take a week off work.“I’ll be back and I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully it will be a bit warmer.”Mark Hoffmann and Justin Regier finished tied for second, three shots adrift of Dugas at even par.Megan Khang, the LPGA Tour player, rallied during the final round to finish tied for fourth at one over par among a bunch of players including Horowitz.Khang signed off with a blistering three under-par, which was the lowest round of the day.“I started off pretty strong,” she said. “I was playing freely and enjoying the round, enjoying the company and was able to make a lot of putts on the front nine.“I was really good through ten holes. Had a little hiccup in the middle and just couldn’t get back onto the tracks.“Overall, I think an under par round on this course is always an accomplishment, so I’m definitely happy.”Bermuda’s Jevon Roberts captured the men’s amateur title by nine shots, finishing six over par.He started the final round with a five-shot advantage over the rest of the field, which he extended after carding a five over par.“I had a little lead and knew that as long as I didn’t do anything foolish I’d be able to get a win today,” Roberts said.“I hit it good, putted pretty well and kept myself out of trouble for the most part and was able to get a win.”Roberts was the highest local finisher and tied for eleventh in an overall international field of 120 professional and amateur players.“I’m just happy to have played well and to have represented Bermuda and finished as top local which is exciting,” he added.“I seem to play well here. My game suits it really well and my expectations of playing here are really high all the time. “I got some good practice in leading up to the tournament and I was able to play pretty well.”Canadian Simon McInnis finished second behind Roberts at 15 over par closely followed by Bermuda’s Scott Barnett a further shot back in third.Bermuda’s Tracy Burgess won the women’s amateur title by a commanding 24 shots, finishing 25 over par. Canada’s Carole Leclerc was second and Bermuda’s Nancy Gosling third.Bermuda players swept the podium among the senior men’s division.Former cricketer Gary Brangman won the title, finishing eight over par. Jose Gerardo finished second some five shots off the leader and Craig Christensen a further shot back in third.