A double bogey on the last hole denied Damian Palanyandi outright victory in the opening event of the inaugural Moon Gate Tour at Port Royal Golf Course yesterday.

The late slip-up left the top amateur tied for first with professional and newly crowned Bermuda Professional Golfers Association champion Nick Jones at three-over 74.

Jones also had his share of challenges on the back nine where he carded five of his six bogeys in the round.

Will Haddrell, the multiple amateur champion, finished one shot back at four over in third to round off the podium.

Former Bermuda Open and Belmont Invitational champion Dwayne Pearman was fourth at five-over 76 and fellow professionals Chaka DeSilva, Scott Roy and Aaron James tied for fifth a further two shots adrift.

A total of 30 players competed in ideal conditions at the par-71 Southampton layout yesterday.

The Moon Gate Tour is the brainchild of professionals DeSilva and Andrew Trott-Francis, and was created to afford more competitive opportunities for local professional and low handicap amateur players.

A total of seven 18-hole medal events are scheduled to be held with the season to conclude in September with a 36-hole Tour Championship.

The Tour will alternate between the public golf courses — Port Royal and Ocean View — for its inaugural season, with monthly events being played on Friday afternoons.

All Moon Gate Tour events will be scratch competitions, or gross only, and will be contested by a maximum of 36 participants for each event, of which up to 18 can be professionals.

The balance of the field will comprise amateur golfers with the lowest handicaps.