Will Haddrell will finally get the chance to realise his dream of playing in a PGA Tour event when he tees off in the opening round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course today.

After several near-misses, the 42-year-old amateur secured his spot in the 72-hole tournament after topping the leaderboard in the Local Qualifier at the same venue last month.

Haddrell will play his first shot at 1.09pm on the 10th hole alongside US professionals David Ford and Vince Covello and the opportunity is one he is thankful for.

“I think we all need to acknowledge how extremely lucky we are to be able to have the opportunity to play in this,” Haddrell said.

“I don’t think there’s any other tournament in the world where local players get three spots from a small field, so I am acutely aware of that. I am going to take full advantage if I can and enjoy it as much as I can and hope to play well in front of the home crowd.”

Haddrell feels he is in good form and has turned to help from overseas in preparation.

“My prep has gone well and I have been doing some online lessons with a coach overseas who has been helping me a lot,” he said.

“I haven’t had as much time as some others to play, but over the last couple of weeks I have been putting the effort in and feel good about it.

“Obviously we’ve been limited to how much we can play Port Royal because of getting the course ready and working on the condition. It is in great nick right now, but I have been working at home on my putting and in my hitting bay.

“This week I have been taking it fairly easy because I don’t want to tire myself as I'm 42, but I have been playing nine holes here and there just to get used to the course and the conditions.”

No local player has ever made the cut in the tournament but Haddrell feels he and fellow qualifiers Oliver Betschart and Kenny Leseur are capable of making a tournament breakthrough.

“If we put two good rounds together we can make the cut, but it needs to be our best golf and nothing else will allow us to make it,” he said.

“If I make the cut that would be my greatest golfing achievement. My strategy tomorrow is to make as many birdies as I can. I’m going to have to be aggressive and shoot low to make the cut. It will need to be lower than we would have to score to win amateur events here, so we’ll have to fire at some pins, take advantage of some short holes and limit my mistakes on the tough threes.”

Camiko Smith missed the cut by just two shots last year, the closest any local has ever come to the feat.

While Haddrell is making his debut, amateur Betschart is making his second appearances in the tournament and Leseur is set to make history as the first Bermudian to play in the event as an amateur and a professional.

“It’s definitely a big achievement to play as an amateur and a professional,” Leseur said.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the perks of being a professional this week. I worked very hard for this and I’m happy I have the opportunity to do it again. It’s definitely just as exciting as the first time.”

Betschart is hoping that his second appearance at the PGA Tour event will bring a better result than his first.

“I’m hitting the ball well and my strategy is to keep calm off the tee and make as many birdies as I can,” he said.

“The course is in great shape, they have a really nice field this year and I am just hoping to play my game and do well.”

Betschart will tee off at the 10th hole at 12.58pm, with Leseur starting on the 1st at 1.09pm.

Returning to defend his title is Rafael Campos, who provided a feelgood moment last year when winning for the first time on the PGA Tour in the same week his wife gave birth to a daughter

“It feels really good to be here and trying to defend a title,” he said.

“I’m really excited to be here back in Bermuda and looking forward to playing the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.”