West heads South with XL sponsorship

Thanks to the global insurer’s financial backing, the former Port Royal head pro has resumed playing full-time on the Tour de Las Americas.

The deal will help offset his travel costs to compete at this level.

West said: “Without the financial backing it’s really tough to be a touring professional because you can’t afford to get to the event to play, unless you’re playing in the U.S. and driving to events and just paying for your entry fees.

Olympics

“Travelling out of Bermuda is really expensive.

“XL was nice enough to have a conversation with me about my sponsorship package and decided to sponsor me.

“I am really happy to have full financial assistance to go back on tour and play full-time.”

Earlier this year limited funding forced West to withdraw from a European Tour qualifier.  

Today the 26-year-old will be among the field at the $40,000 Frances Sport Open in Santiago, Chile.

West is a multiple winner on this year’s inaugural Jack Daniels Tour in Bermuda.

And he hopes his rich form of late will carry over to the more lucrative Tour de Las Americas.

“My game is good at the moment,” he said.

“I have been practising really hard and a lot, trying to get myself back to where I was in 2008 when I took a bit of a leave.

“Training here without a coach I thought I could be a bit more self-sufficient and probably work a bit harder than I am used to.

“But that’s fine because I don’t mind the hours.”

West is scheduled to play three events in Chile plus three on the Tour de Las Americas circuit, where he expects to find his work cut out for him against some of the region’s elite.

“The South American tour is getting a lot better. I think this is because of the Olympics being in Brazil in a couple of years,” he said.

World ranking

“The World Golf Federation is putting a lot of interest into the tour to build golf in South America, so when the Olympics happen people will be excited and the level of golf will be higher.

“So because of that I think we are getting world golf ranking points and better fields, more money, more tournaments and better course conditions.

“I think the South American tour is a great tour, where the events are taken very seriously by the media and community,” he added.

West’s best showing on the Tour de Las Americas was in 2008 when he placed fourth at an event in Peru. He is a multiple winner on the Moonlight Tour and in 2009 topped the local field at the Bermuda Open.