Daniel Augustus found the going tough during the opening round of the Ocala Open at Candler Hills Golf Club in Ocala, Florida, yesterday.

The Bermudian carded a four-over-par 75 that included two double bogeys, three bogeys, a birdie and an eagle.

“Today [yesterday] was a pretty bad day at the office,” Augustus said. “I didn’t swing it very well. It was an off day with some bright spots and I’m simply focusing on the bright spots.”

The field competing at the Florida Professional Golf Tour event will be cut to the lowest 33 per cent of scorers after the second round today.

“I can still make the cut tomorrow with a good score,” Augustus added. “I just need to post something low.”

The 31-year-old is competing in his third event inside of a week.

He finished fifth at the Grey Goose World Par 3 Championship at Turtle Hill Golf Club last week and on Tuesday had his bid to qualify for the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship dashed in a prequalifier at the Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville, Florida.

Augustus was on course to achieving his objective at four-under par through 14 holes but dropped eight shots to finish tied for 80th at four-over 76, seven shots shy of the qualifying cut.

He got off to a rocky start after a mental lapse cost him a stroke on the opening hole.

“I went to clean my ball and realised we are not playing lift, clean and place for this tournament and ended up getting a one shot penalty,” Augustus said.

However, the former Bermuda Open winner overcame the early setback, rolling in birdies at holes 3, 4 and 7 to make the turn at two-under.

He picked up where he left off on the back nine where he carded birdies at 12 and 13 before suffering a complete meltdown coming in.

Augustus bogeyed 15 and 17, made double bogey at 16 and a quadruple bogey 18 to finish well adrift of the cut.

“I started rushing my shots trying to play fast because the [rules officials] told us we if we don’t pick up the pace they are going to give us a two-stroke penalty,” he added.

“The group ahead of us were holding us up playing slow and the rules officials hadn’t been out there all day to check on the pace of play.

“I tried to pick up the pace of play but lost rhythm and ended up eight over through my last four holes.

“Although I didn’t qualify it was a great learning experience that I will learn from.”