West drinks up Jack Daniels' win

It’s not often a golfer has an “off day” with the putter and still wins a tournament by a comfortable margin.

But this proved to be the case for Eric West who savoured a maiden win on the inaugural Jack Daniels Tour at Tucker’s Point earlier this week.

The Tour de Las Americas player fired a three under 67 to finish three shots clear of nearest rival Dwayne Pearman (70).

West carded six birdies but was left to rue several missed birdie putts on the front nine that would’ve widened the gap between him and the chasing pack.

“I had a short pretty putt on four, seven, eight and nine that I missed. I could’ve easily been at least four under on the front,” he said.

The former Port Royal head pro made the turn at two under for the round but buckled further down the stretch with a bogey at 14 and a double at 16 to blemish an otherwise “steady” round of golf.

“I didn’t get up and down from 40 yards on ten and made double on 16 and bogey on 14 — that’s another three or four shots that could have easily been a 63 or 64,” he added.

West hit 15 greens in regulation and despite leaving a few birdie putts on the course was generally satisfied with his all-round display.

“I thought I played pretty well, it’s the first time in awhile that I have had such a clean round. I think I could’ve easily gone bogey free,” he said.

“I was able to control my ball flight and my shot shape and get around the course and not really have to make too many par saving putts, which at Tucker’s Point is pretty cheap.

“You have to hit the ball pretty straight at Tucker’s Point because the course is pretty short but really demanding off the tee, while the greens are very undulating.

“You have to hit it close to the pin, you can’t hit it 30 or 40 feet away and expect to two-putt all the time.”