Plenty will be riding on the annual Bermuda Amateur Strokeplay Championships which began at Mid-Ocean Golf Club today.

Aside from the glory of winning the Island's top amateur event, there is also the race to make this year's Eisenhower Team for the World Amateur Championships in Australia.

A top-three finish is likely to be good enough to make the team, with the winner of the event guaranteed a spot.

This week's event is the final step in the selection process, which runs for two years and is based primarily upon points won for performances in the monthly medal competitions as well as the stroke play events.

The Island's top 12 amateurs are invited to the stroke play and the top four normally make up the team.

There are however a couple of complications this time around, with the Eisenhower competition being cut from a four-man event to a three-man one, and the team must be majority Bermudian.

With one of the strongest-ever fields taking part in this week's 72-hole event - normally held at Port Royal which is currently undergoing renovation - there will be plenty of competition for places, with the likes of Daniel Augustus and William Haddrell among the favourites.

Former Saltus Grammar School pupil Nick Jones will also fancy his chances of finishing in the top three, having won a major tournament in Florida just last weekend.

The 18-year-old from Somerset beat an impressive field of local amateurs to win the Florida Open at the Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando.

Jones has spent the last two years at the Grand View Preparatory school just outside of Orlando, but is back in Bermuda for the summer before he heads to Stetson University, a NCAA Division 1 school, and a recognised route to the PGA.

Having come from two shots back to win the event in Florida, Jones is in fine form heading into the event at Mid Ocean.

"I feel pretty good, I was hitting it close to the flag and striking the ball well during my rounds," he said.

"I started the final round two behind, but was actually three-under for the final nine, so am feeling quite good about my game.

"Mid Ocean is the toughest course on the Island, they played the Grand Slam on it and those guys didn't burn it up, so it's going to be more of a thinking course.

"The greens are where the tournament will be won and lost. If you don't hit the right spot on the green, then you can easily end up taking three putts.

"My main aim this week is to finish in the top four, and then anything else would be a bonus."