In blustery conditions similar to the second day of the Bermuda Championship on the same course, the Bermuda Match Play Championships got under way yesterday at Port Royal Golf Course with Jevon Roberts and Eric West leading the qualifiers in the men’s championship.

Conditions were fairly benign at the start, but a heavy shower and steadily increasing southwesterly winds provided challenging conditions as the players negotiated the back nine.

Roberts showed fine form to shoot a one-under par 70 while West followed in second place with 75.

In the women’s championship, Linda Down has a one-stroke lead over Katrin Burnie, while in the senior men’s division, Barry Brewer has a six-shot advantage over Craig Christensen.

The first round of the match play starts at 7.30 this morning with Jarryd Dillas, the defending champion, playing against Spencer Wideman. More southwesterly winds are forecast, in the region of 18 to 24 knots, making for the possibility of challenging conditions.