Eric West joined an exclusive group after claiming a third Bermuda Stroke Play Championship title at Port Royal Golf Course on Sunday.

The former Tour de las Americas player finished at even-par 213 to win the 54-hole tournament by seven shots over American visitor Alec Barker and join Jarryd Dillas and William Haddrell, who are among those to have won the event three or more times.

West was delighted to lift the coveted Tony Lema Memorial Trophy for the first time in six years.

“This victory is just as special as the others because it gets harder,” he told The Royal Gazette.

“It’s hard to get your game to a point where you’re competitive and then hold on for three rounds.”

The 42-year-old clung to a one-shot advantage over the field heading into the final round and got off to a poor start when he bogeyed the first hole after his tee shot strayed off the fairway and he was unable to get up and down to save par.

Barker parred the same hole to claim a share of the lead, which West regained outright for good on the next hole after his rival dropped a shot.

West’s lead was increased by another four shots after he birdied the short par-3 3rd hole and Barker made a triple bogey at the par-4 4th.

He then rolled in back-to-back birdies on holes and 6 to extend his lead to seven shots and all but clinch the title.

West puts his success down to the hard work he has put into improving certain aspects of his game.

“I worked really hard all winter on my wedges and my putting and totally changed the way that I read greens,” said West, whose round included three birdies and as many bogeys.

“I don’t read the green really any more. I just look at where I want to hit it and try and get there, so it’s a totally different mindset than I’ve ever had.

“The greens were punched so just getting on a roll was hard. You’re really trying to two-putt and when you’re chipping you have no idea where it’s going to go. So it’s mostly about just getting it close to the hole and not making any big numbers.”

Barker finished at seven-over 220 while Dillas, the defending champion, signed off another shot back to round off the podium finishers.

Sienna Mosquera obliterated the field on the way to clinching a maiden women’s title by 16 shots.

The Lehigh University Golf Team member, who finished at nine-over 222, was surprised to have won by such a wide margin.

“Coming into tournaments I never have expectations about my score and that’s how I always try to play,” said Mosquera, who carded a nine-over 83 in the final round.

“I just always try to play my best game and so it was quite a surprise but I was really happy with it.”

The 19-year-old, who held a commanding 17- shot advantage over the field heading into the final round, was equally as delighted to have achieved two new personal records on her march to victory.

“I broke personal records this tournament,” she said. “My lowest score before this was three-under at Island Games, which I just broke with a four under 67 in the second round, so I was really happy with that”. Then I got another three-day low round in so very happy with that as well.”

Defending champion Tracy Burgess finished runner-up at 25-over 238 followed by Kim Botelho in third, another ten shots back.

Robert Vallis won the senior men’s division by 15 shots after finishing at one under 212. Arthur James finished second at 14-over 227 and Rony Ravenda third at 20-over 233 respectively.

Burgess (238) won the senior women’s division by 24 shots, followed by Linda Down (262) in second and Katyna Rabain (263) in third.

Jonathan James (150) won the closely fought men’s first flight by one shot, with Richard Marriott (151) finishing second and Paul Egan (152) third.

Ten-year-old Saltus Grammar School student Bradford Laing (166) won the junior division by one shot, with Joshun Cann (167) finishing runner-up and Grayson Tavares (173) third.

“I was very excited and had a good lead for most of the second round,” Laing said.

“I thought I lost it on 17 when I hit my approach out of bounds and had a tough lie for my drop, but I won it back with a chip-in birdie on 18.”

Arthur Cooper (87) won the stableford format, with Jacob Garrett (79) claiming second and Nicholas Gakundi (75) third.