Dillas slips after nightmare last hole
The men’s title at the NatWest Island Games remains wide open heading into the final round at Port Royal.Aland’s Johan Lindholm (220) led the field after 54 holes after firing a four-over-par 75 for the second straight day to regain top spot from Bermuda’s Jarryd Dillas (222) who suffered a complete meltdown on the final hole.The top amateur appeared to be in control heading towards the par-four 18th but lost his poise and ended up with a triple bogey after his approach to the green came up short.Dillas closed out with a seven-over-par 78 his highest total of the tournament to slip into second, two strokes off the lead.His round also included four bogeys, a double bogey and two birdies.Cayman Island’s Michael Wight (225) is a further three shots behind Dillas in third.Bermuda’s Jevon Roberts (234) carded the lowest round by a local player after coming in at three-over par 74, his lowest score in the tournament.The reigning Bermuda Open and Bacardi Par 3 World Championship champion’s round included four birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey at the par five seventh hole.Summing up the day’s performance, Roberts said: “I’m very pleased to shoot 74 and help the team out a lot. A couple of our players struggled so I’m glad I was able to play well and put in a good score towards the team score.”He added: “My previous low (at Port Royal) was 76 a couple of times, but 74 is pretty good. My score could’ve been lower, but I missed a couple of makeable birdies.“This is the first time I’ve represented Bermuda in a tournament and it’s been a real fun experience.”Roberts started the day in 21st and finished tied for 15th.Bermuda’s Mitchell Campbell (240) endured a rough time on the front nine before he struck form coming in with three consecutive birdies at some of the course’s most challenging holes.“I was sitting 11-over through 13 holes and going in the wrong direction and then I hit a good par save at 13 and birdied 14, 15 and 16 which are notoriously the hardest holes on the golf course,” he said.“Fourteen and 15 were pretty standard birdies; fairways, greens make the putt. But 16 I hit to about 35 feet behind the ridge and I hit on top of the ridge and it just fell in the hole. It was the end of the streak but it was real important for that putt to go in to give me some confidence going forward.”Campbell entered the clubhouse with a eight-over-par 79 that left him in 23rd.Mark Phillips (233), the remaining player on Bermuda’s men’s team, carded a four-over 75 to climb four places from 17th to 13th.Orkney’s Sean Fotheringhame (228) carded the day’s lowest round of one-over-par 72 while Scott Meek (Isle of Wight) and Brian Ross (Cayman Islands) both shot two over par 73.Meanwhile, Bermuda’s Ebonie Burgess (250) lost precious ground in her bid for individual medal honours in the women’s field.Burgess shot a 17-over par 88, her highest score of the tournament, to slip from third to sixth.Elizabeth Parsons (255) is the next highest local player in eighth. Parsons shot 87.Guernsey’s Aimee Ponte (238) carded the lowest round among the women, a 77.After three rounds Gotland’s Lina Billing (232) leads the women’s division by six shots over nearest rival Ponte.Bermuda (679) still lead the men’s team event followed by Isle of Wight (680) and Aland (684) in second and third respectively.Guernsey (747) top the women’s team leaderboard after 54 holes followed by Gotland (752) and Isle of Wight (757). Bermuda (773) ended the day fifth in the women’s team event.