Bermuda Golf Association

A number of Bermuda's top golfers have represented the country in international competition;

The Seniors Open Amateur Championship

Dr. Robert Vallis has represented Bermuda at golf since 1990 and has had many successes (6 Bermuda Stroke Play and 5 Match Play Titles) but the victory at Prestwick is his finest achievement to date and must rank as the biggest individual win by a Bermudian overseas since Michael Sims won the North-South. Alan Gamble spoke to him about the experience and his winning score of 8 over par 224.

"Prestwick is a difficult course and up there the members don't worry too much about scoring to par. At The Senior Amateur the rough was very healthy and most fairways were not more than 20 yards wide. The fairway bunkers there are deep holes, there is no chance to reach the green from them, the priority is just to get out. In addition, many landing areas have roll off so you often find your ball in a different place than you expect after the tee shot. I was a combined 9 over par on the 4th and 9th over 3 rounds and I don't think there was a player in the field who didn't have a 7 on their card at some point, I never did par the 13th. In fact of the 432 rounds played (144 players) there were only 2 rounds under par and both of those were 71's. On that course there is danger all around and as I came down the stretch I was hoping to hold it together for a respectable finish, then I birdied 17 and that's when I realised that I could win the tournament, in the end it's all about the 'W' and it was my day to do it."

His win in the Senior Open qualified Robert to play in the U.S. Senior Amateur at the Donald Ross designed Beverly Golf Club in Chicago. Against a strong field of 156 players, Robert shot 76 + 78 = 154 in the stroke-play competition and failed to advance to match play.

Island Games, Aland, 2009

We are very proud of both the mens and ladies teams for their outstanding performance at the Island Games in Aland, Finland. Daniel Augustus, Jarryd Dillas, Damien Palanyandi and Camiko Smith won Mens Team Gold. Ebonie Burgess, Katrin Burnie, Katyna Rabain and Tariqah Walikraam also won Team Gold in the ladies event. In the individual Men's event Jarryd won Gold and Daniel took the Bronze, both matches going to a playoff, and in the individual Ladies Ebonie and Tariqah finished fifth and sixth respectively. All these players put in a lot of preparation prior to the Games and it was obviously worth the effort, well done.

Dixie Amateur, 2009

The BGA sponsored Daniel Augustus and Traiqah Walikraam, Bermuda's 2009 stroke play champions, to participate in the Dixie Amateur, held at Heron Bay Golf Club in Coral Springs, Florida. The course was home of the PGA Tour's Honda Classic from 1997-2002.

Daniel Augustus represented Bermuda in the Mens Championship division. He had a rough 1st day shooting 79 and followed this up with a 73 but it was not enough to make the cut of 144.

Senior Amateur Champion Robert Vallis placed 2nd with rounds of 71, 67 and 72 respectively. Also participating was Eric (Hav) Trott he placed tied for 15th. 

Copa de Las Americas, Buenos Aires, 2010

Fifteen male golferswere invited to participate in a 36 hole qualifier at Port Royal G.C. on December 19th and 20th. (The committee has selected Laura Robinson and Ebonie Burgess to represent Bermuda in the ladies division.) The results of the qualifier were:

Jarryd Dillas and Nick Jones qualified to represent the men.

The tournament took place in Buenos Aires from 4-9 January, 2010. In the team competition, Bermuda finished 10th overall. The men finished in 12th place and the ladies finished in 11th place.

Individual results of the tournament were: