The inaugural Carlsberg Ocean View Cup got off to an exciting and blistering start at Ocean View Golf Course today.

Spectators were kept on the edge of their seats as some of the island’s top players produced magnificent golf as they battled it out in the four-ball (best ball) format under sunny skies at the Devonshire golf course.

After all was said and done, rivals East and West remained deadlocked at three points apiece, to leave the Ryder Cup-style format tournament wide open heading into the final two days of the event.

Using the match-play scoring method with the winning team earning a point, the opening match saw the East’s Ebonie Cox and Vincent Minors prevail against West’s Steven Almeida and Donovan Livingston to secure early pole position for their team.

The second match between the East’s Darriek “Nails” Douglas and Kennedy Nanette and West pair Nick Jones and Dennis Joell ended all square with each team receiving half a point.

The West finally picked up their first win in the third match after Camiko Smith and Alan Lugo got the better of East rivals Calvin Richardson and Sinclair Trott to bring the teams level with 1½ points each.

Things got even better for the West in the next match as they surged ahead for the first time after Jonathan James and Aaron Adams got past East rivals Damon Smith and George O’Brien Jr.

However, their advantage proved short-lived as the East’s Kavon Trott and Leroy Robinson defeated Ajunte Tuzo and Marcelos Thomas in the fifth match to bring the teams level again at 2½ points each.

The day’s final match between the East’s Sammy Robinson and Phil Talbot and West’s Oscar Riley and Henry Ascento also ended all square to leave the teams deadlocked.

“Ocean View and OJ Pitcher [Ocean View Golf Course head professional] have done a great job in making the pairings,” West captain Jones told The Royal Gazette.

“The competition is tight; we’re all 50-50 right now. Everyone is tied up and I had to make five birdies in a row just to make even, so the competition is stiff.”

East captain Douglas, added: “It was a lovely day and nobody is running away with it, which is the best part about it.

“I’m sure some groups probably thought they had it in the bag already even before they teed off, but they didn’t.”

The three-day tournament features four-ball, foursomes and singles match play.

Play continues on Saturday with foursomes (alternate shots), followed by head-to-head match play on Sunday.

Each team was originally supposed to consist of the top 12 players from the western and eastern parishes that competed in last year’s Johnnie Walker Classic at Ocean View, which was won by professional Quinton Sherlock Jr.

However, the organising committee was forced to tweak plans because of player unavailability.

Action gets under way at 7.30am on Saturday and Sunday.