It’s D-Day at Matchplay

Jevon Roberts clinched his place in the 2014 Bermuda Amateur Match Play Championships quarter-finals at Mid-Ocean Club yesterday — and then headed straight to the range to sort out his errant driver.

The round-of-16 games saw a clutch of players advance in a bid to dethrone four-time consecutive champion Jarryd Dillas, who had a longer round than many expected in beating Derel Alleyne 3&2.

Roberts overcame Scott Barnett 4&2 after losing a playoff against Fraser Hunt earlier in the day to determine who would be seeded second. Both players had carded leading rounds of 76 in the opening day’s strokeplay qualifier. Bermuda Open amateur champion Roberts bemoaned his driving — he hit only three fairways yesterday compared to missing only two on Wednesday — and his inability to read the greens against Barnett. 

Two down at the fourth tee, Roberts got it back to all-square at the turn before turning the screw on the back nine.

And with wind and rain forecast today, he’s braced for more challenges and admits the field have their work cut out if they want to upset man-to-beat Dillas.

“He’s a four-time champion — this is his tournament,” Roberts told the Bermuda Sun. 

“You want to play him as late as possible, preferably in the final and hope he’s not having a good day. 

“He’s just a really good player, a really seasoned player.”

He added: “Today I play Josh (Cabrera) and I can’t play that bad [again]. He’s a good player and I know I will have to play pretty good to win.”

With both the quarter-finals and semi-finals scheduled for today, it’s do or die and Roberts knows there are threats everywhere in the draw.

He said: “On Wednesday me and Fraser had the best rounds but Josh is a good player, he shot 79 and I really wasn’t  expecting an 81 from Mark [Phillips], although when he told me how he was slapping it around, that wasn’t bad at all.

“Ben Hodge is playing well too and he’s a member at Mid Ocean so he has a bit of an advantage there. Today is just going to come down to who battles the elements the best. I’ve got my rain gloves and my rain hat ready!”

In the ladies’ competition, the top three seeds — Ebonie Burgess, Katrin Burnie and Ann Symonds — are all in action today after getting byes through the first matchplay round. The men’s seniors also continue today.

The men’s Championship ends on Saturday with a 36-hole final. 

For full results, up-to-date scoring and tournament information go to www.bermudagolf.org