Organisers of the Johnnie Walker Classic felt “more comfortable” reverting to the original minimum age limit for eligibility because of the context of the alcohol-sponsored event.

The minimum age reverted to 18 in the lead-up to the tournament last weekend at Ocean View Golf Course, which resulted in 17-year-old amateur Oliver Betschart being ruled ineligible to play.

Speaking on the radio talk show Talking Sports, champion Quinton Sherlock Jr, an organising committee member, shed light on the reasons surrounding the controversial rule change.

“At the end of the day, the committee have taken a decision that they felt was right and, just given the history and the legacy of what the event is and what they would like to see the event stand for,” he said.

“As with most decisions that are made, there are always going to be people on one side that agree with the decision and are happy, and there are going to be those that may be on another side that may not see the decision as amicable.

“Ultimately, I think that is the space that we’re at in this regard. But I definitely want to respect the decision that has been taken by the committee and just for the record it was a changing of the rules back to what it originally was.”

Sherlock recalls having to comply with the original age-limit rule as a junior coming up through the ranks at Ocean View.

“I grew up playing golf at Ocean View and I remember as a young junior the only thing I could do is make the runs, ie, when the players needed something from the clubhouse and they were on the course, it was ‘Sherlock, go get me this’,” he said.

“So there’s that and again I am aware of the history of persons like Aaron James, who was the youngest club champion ever at Ocean View at the age of 13 and he also never played in the Johnnie Walker until he was 18.

“We are all humans and so we are always going to have our respective perspectives and viewpoints. Likewise, as humans, we sometimes make decisions and choices that we have to then revisit and rethink, taking other things into context.

“Ultimately, I think everyone on the committee wants to see the development and growth of golf in general in Bermuda to continue to move forward. I think they also want to see the development and growth of Oliver Betschart as an individual golfer go and move forward.

“But if we take personality and individual out of this as a case of human beings playing in a Johnnie Walker event, the committee has taken the stance that given the context of the event that they would be more comfortable with the idea that persons be 18 and older as it had been up until two or three years ago when the exception was specifically made.

“There are always going to be persons that feel a way and we have to respect also the differences of opinions.”

Organising committee chairman and Ocean View head professional OJ Pitcher and club president Malcolm Clarke continued their refusal to comment on the matter when approached by The Royal Gazette.

Former chairman of Bermuda Government Golf Courses Kim Swan advised organisers to have a “last-minute rethink” over the rule change, while 2024 champion Camiko Smith expressed his disappointment over the matter.

It is understood tournament sponsor Burrows Lightbourn Ltd, the Bermuda Golf Association and Cada had no issues with Betschart participating in the event again as he had done the previous two years after signing a waiver.

The teenager made an impact in the tournament after being crowned low amateur on his debut in 2023 and finishing fourth last year.