Camiko Smith is looking to put on a good show when he tees off this weekend in the Bacardi National Par 3 Tournament at Fairmont Southampton’s Turtle Hill Golf Club.

Smith, who has been playing in qualifying tournaments overseas the past few years, trying to qualify for the PGA Tour, is looking forward to two competitive rounds of golf against some of the Island’s top players, including last year’s winner Anthony Mocklow, Dwayne Pearman and Jarryd Dillas.

“I’m hitting the ball pretty solid and it’s nice to be one of the favourites,” said Smith who has been back home since the Gosling’s Invitational at Belmont Golf Course in November. “I’ve been practicing a good bit at Port Royal, working a lot on my short game, trying to sharpen that up, and also on my putting, just basically trying to manage my game better.

“I’ve been here for a few months and got to spend Christmas with my family.

“I’m looking forward to the new year, trying to do some things and to get some more financial support so that I can try to qualify for the PGA Canada Q-School which is in late March.

“The PGA Canada Q-School is in different spots and the one I’m looking to do is at Reunion Golf Resort in Orlanda, and there are others on the West Coast and another in Palm Beach, Florida.”

Mocklow, a former pro at Turtle Hill, used his knowledge of the course to win the 2015 tournament by one stroke ahead of Dwayne Pearman and Nick Jones, after a four-over-par 58 left him eight over part for the 36-hole tournament.

Smith is relishing the challenge of the par-three tournament.

“It puts a good test on your short irons to see how accurate you are,” he said. “Fairmont Southampton is a really good golf course, always in good shape so it will be a good test this weekend. The weather is supposed to be a bit muggy, but it will be like that for everybody so we’ll see how it goes.

“Dwayne Pearman, Anthony Mocklow, Jarryd Dillas, and Jevon Roberts in the amateur division, are all playing so it should be fun. Once you get on the golf course it is all business, after we finish then we’ll talk.”

Ryan Roberts topped the professional qualifying for the tournament ahead of the likes of Dwayne Pearman, Mocklow, Cornell Bean, Smith and Brian Morris.

The Bacardi National Par 3 Tournament has been qualifying since last September with golfers trying to qualify every time they play.

The favourites among the amateurs are Mark Phillips, Jevon Roberts and Dillas, who leaves on Monday with Walker Campbell to represent Bermuda at the Latin American Amateur Champions next weekend in the Dominican Republic.

In the Senior Division, Craig Christensen and Alan DeSilva will be two to beat in the contest for the Lionel Pengelly Seniors Trophy.

Ebonie Burgess, last year’s women’s winner, may be a doubt following the death of her mother, Andrea Burgess, earlier this week.

Last year Burgess overcame a seven stroke deficit to take the title by three strokes over Katrin Burnie, who carded a 13-over par 67 in the second round which left her 19-over for the tournament.