Top local pro Dwayne Pearman took up where he left off last year when the Bermuda Professional Golfers' Association annual championships got underway at Tucker's Point yesterday.

Pearman, the defending champion and a multiple winner of the annual event, fired a three-over par 73 to take a five-shot lead over Bentley Gibbons and Chris Smith.

The only other player in the 15-strong field to break 80 was Mid Ocean Club's Chris Garland who returned a score of 79.

Ocean View pro Pearman will be expected to extend his lead when the second round of the 72-hole tournament is played at Tucker's Point today. The final two rounds are scheduled for Mid Ocean Club on Wednesday and Thursday.