Mark Phillips carded the only round under par to carve out a four-stroke lead during yesterday’s opening round of the Bermuda Amateur Stroke Play Championships at Port Royal.

The reigning Gosling’s Invitational and Grey Goose World Par 3 Championship amateur champion laid down an early marker after firing an impressive two-under-par 69 that included three birdies and a bogey.

“I struck the ball well and everything went pretty well,” Phillips said.

“I did not really have any major hiccups, everything went pretty smoothly and this is what I came out with.”

Phillips, who was a member of Bermuda’s team that won the gold medal at last year’s NatWest Island Games, was at even par after the first three holes but dropped a shot at the 4th after his tee shot landed in the fairway bunker and he was unable to save par.

But he quickly regained his footing by birdieing two of the last three holes on the front nine to make the turn at one under par where he remained until the last hole, which he birdied to emphatically cap a solid round.

Phillips will now look to carry on in the same vein.

“Hopefully I can produce a few more lows rounds to keep it going,” he said.

Meanwhile, in second is Will Haddrell, the defending champion, who carded a 73.

Rounding off the top three on the leaderboard after 18 holes is Hav Trott, who entered the clubhouse with a 74.

Today will see the women play their first round at Port Royal.

Last year’s winner Ebonie Burgess has opted not to defend her title because of football commitments with the Bermuda women’s team.