Defending Match Play champion Jevon Roberts stunned in first round

Dexter Smith, Head of Sport

Created: Sep 12, 2021 05:31 PM (Updated: Sep 12, 2021 05:31 PM)

Jevon Roberts’s defence of his title in the Bermuda Match Play Championships came to an abrupt halt when he was stunned in the first round at Port Royal Golf Course on Saturday.

Roberts, who memorably defeated Matt Gorrell by 1 hole in the final last year with a 20ft par-saving putt at the 18th, came undone against unheralded LeRoy Robinson by 2 holes to throw the top half of the draw wide open.

Damian Palanyandi has taken full advantage thus far by getting to the semi-finals this morning with two thumping wins.

First, he crushed Rajesh Pachai 6 and 5, then followed by bringing Robinson back to earth with a thud in a match that ended with a win at the 14th, 6 and 4. Robinson had barely squeaked into the matchplay phase of the tournament as No 16 seed after an adventurous, 20-over 91 in the medal round on Friday.

Palanyandi faces the accomplished Will Haddrell, who ensured a miserable Saturday for the 2020 finalists when he thumped Gorrell 5 and 4 in the first round.

A hint at Gorrell’s indifferent form coming into the tournament could be seen on Friday when he returned a 12-over 83 to qualify as a lowly No 12 seed.

An unsympathetic Haddrell then saw off Adam Perry 3 and 1 to set up a tasty semi-final with Palanyandi, who is looking to add to the Bermuda Stroke Play Championships title he won in July.

In the bottom half of the draw, eight-times champion Jarryd Dillas looms large after a pair of 5 and 3 wins over Stephen Roberts and Joshua Cabrera respectively.

Dillas’s opponent in the semi-finals this morning is Spencer Wideman, who saw off 2019 Stroke Play champion Eric West by 1 hole in a closely fought contest.

In the senior men’s division, medallist Barry Brewer advanced to the semi-finals with a 3 and 1 win over Millard Beach and will now face Calvin Hendrickson, who topped Zane DeSilva, a surprise finalist in 2020, by 2 holes.

Jarryd Dillas, left, and Damian Palanyandi, who have enjoyed success as a team, are primed to contest the final of the Bermuda Match Play Championships this afternoon. Their semi-final opponents, Spencer Wideman and Will Haddrell respectively, may have other thoughts

Defending champion Ian Page takes on Craig Christensen in the other semi-final.

The women’s semi-finals feature Tracy Burgess against Kim Botelho and 2020 winner Katrin Burnie against Katyna Rabain.