Bermudian golfer Ryan Benevides has signed a letter of intent to join Division One school Rice University.

Benevides, who currently attends IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida, is one of three golfers who have signed early, and he will join Joe Beck III from Texas, and Tommy Economou from California at the university after the Owls golf coach, Drew Scott, confirmed that the three had signed national letters of intent during the NCAA's early signing period.

Scott said he was pleased to have brought the Bermudian to the school, and said he thought the promising youngster was ready to make an immediate impact on the collegiate scene.

"Ryan brings years of international and amateur experience to Rice and should contend for a spot in the line-up immediately," Scott said. "His dedication to the game with hard work and time management will be extremely useful in his growth as a student-athlete."

Benevides was runner-up at both the 2010 Ross Blackie Talbot Junior International Classic as well as the Future Collegians World Tour Plantation Inn Open.

The 17-year-old also finished sixth at the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour's Tamp Bay Junior Open, eighth at the FCWT World Woods Pine Barrens, and tenth at the HJGT IMG Academies Junior Open.

And with Scott also excited about the addition of Beck III and Economou, Rice are expecting to be very competitive over the next couple of years.

"We are very excited to have Joe (Beck III) join the Rice Owls' golf team next season," said Scott. "His improvement over the past few years has been outstanding and should continue once he steps foot onto campus in 2011.

"Tommy is very excited to become an Owl, getting onto the course and competing at the collegiate level. His game has shown signs of greatness and with his experience playing in numerous amateur events, he will be ready to play next fall."

Beck, a native of Austin, Texas is a two-time Austin City Junior Champion (2008, 2009) and placed second at the Bart Granger Memorial Championship earlier this year. He also recorded top ten finishes this year at the Texas Junior Golf Tour's UT Invitational and George Hannon Invitational as well as the Starburst Junior Classic.

Economou, a native of Hillsborough, California, finished fourth at the 2009 Oakland City Championship and ninth at the Santa Cruz City Open. He posted a pair of top ten finishes on the Future Collegians World Tour earlier this year.

The Owls have already concluded their 2010 fall season, with competition beginning in February with the Oak Hills Invitational in San Antonio. The 11th Annual Rice Intercollegiate presented by Srixon is slated for February 21 to 22 at Westwood Golf Club.

n Derriek Douglas won the latest round of the Bermuda Professional Association's Jack Daniel's Tour event that was held at Port Royal Golf Course.

Douglas picked up where he left off last week at the Riddell's Bay Golf Club, where on the final hole he finished with a spectacular eagle two, he continued that form when he shot a one-over par 72, he finished one stroke ahead of Cornel Bean, while Scott Roy finished third shooting a four-ove Par 75.

Roy meanwhile won the Fast Forward Challenge by one over Dwayne Pearman.

The Challenge saw the players combine their final three scores and the person with the best score would be crowned the Fast Forward Challenge Champion.

Winning the title saw Roy pocket the $500 winning cheque, while Paul Adams and Douglas finished tied third.