Deadlock at the Summit as Moongate Cup Team Race Ignites
IslandStats.com
The opening round of the 2026 Moongate Tour has concluded with an extraordinary three-way tie at the top of the inaugural Moongate Cup Team Leaderboard. As the tour introduced its highly anticipated team format at Port Royal this week, the competitive depth of the island's premier golfers was on full display, leaving the race for the title in a state of absolute deadlock.
Leading the charge are the perennial contenders from Mid Ocean Club, who finished the day at a combined twelve over par. The trio of Jarryd Dillas, Damon Smith, and Chaka DeSilva displayed remarkable consistency, navigating the challenging coastal conditions to ensure their club remains a firm favorite in this new format. Dillas, a seasoned veteran of the international amateur circuit, provided the steady hand necessary to anchor the team through the difficult closing stretch.
Matching them stroke for stroke were the Port Royal Founder’s, who utilized their home-course advantage to great effect. The team, comprised of Jevon Roberts, Kenny Leseur, and Jordan Swan, matched the twelve over par total to stake their claim at the summit. Leseur, continuing his transition from a standout junior career, provided several moments of brilliance that kept the Founders in contention even as the wind began to pick up across the back nine.
The parity at the top was completed by Turtle Hill, who joined the leaders at twelve over par to ensure a three-way split for the lead. The team of Adam Perry, Scott Roy, and Chris Smith proved that the shorter, more technical demands of their home turf have prepared them well for the broader challenges of the tour. Their performance rounds out a fascinating top of the table that sees the top nine players separated by nothing more than tie-breaking procedures.
With the first round now in the books, the Moongate Cup has immediately delivered the drama promised by the new season launch. As the tour moves into its next phase, these three leading outfits have set a high bar, leaving the rest of the field with significant work to do if they are to disrupt the current stalemate at the top of Bermudian golf.
Friday, January 30, 2026
Perry Navigates Port Royal Gales to claim Moongate Opener
IslandStats.com
Adam Perry demonstrated exceptional control in testing conditions to clinch the opening round of the 2026 Moongate Tour season at Port Royal Golf Course. In a field featuring the island's elite professional and amateur talent, Perry carded a resilient one-under-par 70 to secure a three-stroke victory on the Southampton layout.
The victory marks a strong start to the campaign for the 22-year-old professional, who recently transitioned from the amateur ranks after a standout career that included multiple domestic titles. Perry’s round was a model of consistency amidst the Atlantic gusts, featuring three birdies and 13 pars, with just two dropped shots over the 18 holes.
The chasing pack found the challenging conditions far more difficult to navigate. Veteran amateur Jarryd Dillas and fellow contender Jevon Roberts shared second place after both finished with rounds of two-over-par 73. Roberts’ scorecard was an adventurous one, featuring three birdies and 11 pars but hampered by three bogeys and a costly double bogey. In contrast, Dillas played a more conservative game, recording 14 pars and a single birdie against three bogeys.
Further down the leaderboard, a trio of players including the experienced Daniel Augustus, Damon Smith, and Kenny Leseur—the latter beginning the defense of his overall tour title—finished in a tie for fourth after carding rounds of 74. Dwayne Pearman stood alone in seventh place with a round of 4-over par 75. The top ten was rounded out by two golfers at five-over-par, with Scott Roy, and Nick Jones both finishing with rounds of 76.
The 2026 season also sees the introduction of a new tactical element to the tour with a dedicated team event running alongside the individual competition. With the best three scores from each five-person group counting toward a collective total, the consistent play of the leaders has set a high benchmark for the matches ahead.
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Moongate Tour Spices Up Season Opener with Added Format
IslandStats.com
The 2026 Moongate Tour season is set for a thrilling start this Friday, January 30th, as the local professional and elite amateur circuit returns to the Port Royal Golf Course. While the tournament maintains its high-stakes individual competition, this year's opener brings a fresh tactical layer to the fairways with the introduction of a dedicated team event.
The new competition is designed to run alongside the regular individual tournament without intruding on the core stroke-play format. Instead, it aims to foster a greater sense of rivalry and camaraderie among the island's top golfers.
According to organizers, the new format will feature six teams, each led by a captain who will select four players per round. The scoring system is designed to reward consistency across the board:
The best three scores from each five-person group (captain plus four picks) will count toward the total team score. The fourth score—traditionally discarded in many formats—will be kept in reserve to serve as a crucial tie-breaker if needed at the end of the round.
The competition will build toward a high-pressure finale. At the end of the season, the top two teams will face off in a "Captain's Choice" match to determine the overall team champion for 2026.
To keep the rosters dynamic, the tour has introduced a mid-season transfer window, allowing captains to reshuffle their lineups. Additionally, a new wildcard rule has been implemented, granting a player affiliated with one club the unique opportunity to represent another club for a single event, adding an unpredictable element to the season's standings.
With the Order of Merit race also beginning on Friday, the addition of the team trophy ensures that every shot at Port Royal will carry even more weight than usual.
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Port Royal to Host Bermuda Four-Ball Championships
IslandStats.com
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.
Friday, January 16, 2026
Bermuda Duo Miss the Cut in Lima Championships
Eric West
IslandStats.com
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.
