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Tuesday, January 20, 2026
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Port Royal to Host Bermuda Four-Ball Championships
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The fairways of Port Royal Golf Course are set to witness a high-stakes test of teamwork and strategy as the Bermuda Four-Ball Championships return on January 31st and February 1st.
The two-day tournament at the Southampton layout will be contested as a four-ball stroke play event, with teams of two competing at 85 per cent of their course handicap. The format, which allows each player to play their own ball with the best score on each hole counting toward the team total, often produces some of the most aggressive and low-scoring golf on the local calendar.
Three distinct divisions will be contested over 36 holes, ensuring a broad cross-section of the island's golfing talent is represented. The Men’s Championship will be played from the blue tees, while the Senior Men’s Championship will move to the white tees. The Ladies’ Championship will be contested from the red tees, with all three titles expected to be fiercely defended.
Competitors looking to enter the Senior Division must be aged 55 or over before the opening round on January 31st. The Bermuda Golf Association has set the entry fees at $400 per team, or $200 per person. In a move to encourage local participation, Port Royal members can benefit from a reduced rate of $150 per person.
The deadline for registration is fast approaching, with entries set to close at 5pm on Monday, January 26. Aspiring champions are encouraged to secure their spots early, as the field is expected to fill quickly following a season defined by a surge in competitive amateur participation.
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Friday, January 16, 2026
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Bermuda Duo Miss the Cut in Lima Championships
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Bermudian hopes at the 2026 Latin America Amateur Championship came to an end on Friday as both Oliver Betschart and Eric West missed the 36-hole cut at the historic Lima Golf Club.
On a challenging day in the Peruvian capital, the island’s representatives found the tight fairways and punishing layout of the prestigious venue a difficult riddle to solve, as the field was trimmed for the weekend’s action.
Teenager Oliver Betschart, making his second appearance in the championship, saw his hopes of a weekend charge evaporate during a difficult second round. Following a steady opening day that had kept him within touching distance of the magic number, Betschart struggled to find consistency on Friday.
The 17-year-old carded a 9-over-par 79 to finish the week at 12-over-par. His scorecard told the story of a battling performance, featuring one birdie and 10 pars, but his progress was hampered by four bogeys and three costly double bogeys. Despite the exit, the experience adds another chapter to the rising star's burgeoning international career.
Fellow Bermudian Eric West fared slightly better on the day, showing plenty of grit to sign for a 5-over-par 75. While an improvement on his opening round, it left him at 14-over-par for the tournament, well outside the cut line which eventually fell at 8-over-par.
West’s second round was an adventurous affair, characterized by an aggressive approach that yielded four birdies. However, seven bogeys and a double bogey prevented him from making the significant move required to bridge the gap.
At the other end of the leaderboard, Argentina’s Andy Schonbaum tightened his grip on the tournament. The 34-year-old followed up his opening 66 with a 2-under-par 68 to move to 6-under-par overall.
Schonbaum holds a two-shot lead over Venezuela’s Andrés Martínez Benedetti heading into the third round, with the ultimate prize of an invitation to The Masters and exemptions into The Open and the US Open awaiting Sunday’s winner.
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Thursday, January 15, 2026
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Mixed Day for Bermuda Golfers in LAA Championships
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 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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Monday, January 12, 2026
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West & Betschart Ready for Major Opportunity in Peru
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The R&A and the USGA have officially announced that the 11th Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) will be contested at the historic Lima Golf Club in Peru from January 15th - 18th, 2026.
Founded in 2014 by the Masters Tournament, The R&A, and the USGA, the championship serves as a premier development platform for amateur talent across South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. For the 2026 field, the stakes remain incredibly high: the champion will receive a life-changing invitation to compete in The Masters Tournament, alongside exemptions into The Open and the U.S. Open.
Representing Bermuda in this elite field are Eric West and Oliver Betschart.
For Eric West, this marks his debut appearance in the Latin America Amateur Championship. West arrives in Peru following a strong 2025 campaign where he finished as the runner-up in the Bermuda Amateur Stroke Play Championships. A former professional on the Tour de las Americas, West regained his amateur status and has since become a regular fixture at the top of local leaderboards, including competing in the PGA Tour’s Bermuda Championship in 2024.
Teenage sensation Oliver Betschart returns for his second consecutive LAAC appearance. The 17-year-old made his debut at the 2025 championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he showed flashes of brilliance despite missing the cut. Betschart carded an opening-round 74 last year—highlighted by an eagle—before eventually finishing in a tie for 66th place. He recently gained valuable international experience representing Bermuda at the Junior Pan American Games in Paraguay, where he secured a 14th-place finish.
Lima Golf Club, which celebrated its centennial in 2024, will provide a strategic parkland test for the region's best amateurs. The course will play as a par-70, 6,804-yard layout characterized by tight, tree-lined fairways and lake hazards.
The tournament has historically been a launchpad for future stars, with past competitors like Joaquín Niemann using the platform to transition to the professional elite. For West and Betschart, the 72-hole stroke-play event represents not only a chance at major championship glory but a vital step on the international amateur stage.
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Saturday, January 10, 2026
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Youth Star Dominates BGA Season Opener
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The Bermuda Golf Association launched its 2026 campaign in spectacular fashion on Saturday, as teenager Oliver Betschart delivered a clinical performance to claim the opening Monthly Medal of the year at Tucker’s Point Club.
On a course renowned for its undulating fairways and punishing Atlantic breezes, Betschart proved to be the class of the field. The rising star carded a brilliant one-under-par 69 to secure the Men's Division title, anchoring his round with five birdies and ten pars. Despite a late double-bogey wobble, his composure ensured he remained the only player in the field to finish under par. Arman Newton pushed the leader close with a steady one-over-par 71 to take second, while a three-way tie for third saw veterans Jarryd Dillas, Johnny Bart, and Roger Brangman all finishing at four-over-par.
The Ladies Division saw a familiar face atop the podium as Tracy Burgess picked up exactly where she left off last season. Burgess carded a four-over-par 74 to secure victory, a round defined by ten pars and three birdies that kept her well clear of her nearest rivals. Morgan Lightbourne claimed the runner-up spot with a round of 85, while Darina Betschart ensured it was a successful day for the Betschart household by rounding out the podium in third.
In the Men’s Senior Division (55+), Hav Trott demonstrated his enduring quality with a gritty three-over-par 73. Trott’s card was a picture of consistency, featuring 11 pars and two birdies to fend off a high-calibre chasing pack. He finished just a single stroke ahead of former national football coach Kyle Lightbourne and Mark Ray, who both shared second place at four-over-par.
Meanwhile, the future of the sport was on full display in the Junior Division. Damian Moniz secured the first silverware of the year with a determined round of 85, marking himself as a key player to watch as the 2026 Order of Merit begins to take shape.
The BGA schedule now moves toward the Four-Ball Championships in February, with the island's elite amateurs already locked in a fierce battle for the top ranking spots.
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