 Oliver Betschart IslandStats.com
In a championship where the ultimate prize is a life-changing invitation to The Masters, the 17-year-old Betschart coped admirably with the undulating fairways and strategic hazards of the Peruvian layout. He carded a three-over-par 73 to finish the day tied for 32nd in the 107-man field.
Betschart’s round began with a flourish; back-to-back Birdies in his opening holes saw him briefly surge into a share of second place. Despite a slight loss of momentum, he reached the turn at one-under-par, appearing well-set to challenge the leaders.
However, the "back nine" at Lima proved a sterner test. A run of four bogeys saw the teenager slip back, eventually finishing the day with a statistical card of three birdies, nine pars, and six bogeys. Nevertheless, he remains well within the projected cut line, with the top 50 players plus ties advancing to the final two rounds.
It was a more challenging afternoon for fellow Bermudian Eric West. Making his debut in the prestigious event, the 42-year-old found the thick, parkland rough and tight tree-lines unforgiving during an opening round of nine-over-par 79.
West’s scorecard reflected a "rollercoaster" opening session, including 2 Birdies, 8 Pars, 5 Bogeys, and 3 Double Bogeys
Despite the difficult start, West showed resilience over the closing stretch and sits T80th heading into Friday. He will likely need a significant under-par round tomorrow to move into the weekend's conversation.
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