Jarryd Dillas and Will Haddrell, the men’s defending champions, and last year’s women’s winners Elizabeth Parsons and Ebonie Burgess have again established themselves as the teams to beat in the Bermuda Amateur Four-Ball Championships which got underway at Port Royal yesterday.

Dillas and Haddrell hold a three-stroke lead over Steven DeCosta and Mark Ray after their seven-under-par 64 yesterday, while Rod Forrest and Kirk Viehl are a further three strokes back on 70.

Javon Roberts and Mark Phillips, another pre-tournament favourite after their second-place finish last year, have already left themselves with some catching up to do after their one-over-par 72.

A total of 20 teams are competing in the men’s division. Dillas and Haddrell won the men’s title by five strokes last year.

Parsons, like Dillas in the men’s division, is chasing her fourth straight title. She and Burgess made a good start with their two-over-par 73, which leaves them five strokes ahead of Linda Down and Tracy Burgess on 78.

Parsons and Burgess won the title by a comfortable 19 strokes over Elaine Stevens and Tracy Nash last year.

Two other teams, Melinda Frith and Gladys Chambaz and Donna Jones and Sylvia Tavares, are a further four strokes behind, tied on 82 with two rounds to play today and tomorrow. Ann Symonds and Pat Morgan are fifth among the eight women’s teams after their opening round 84.