Eight golfers have been selected by the Bermuda Golf Association to represent the island in the NatWest International Island Games to be held at L’Ancresse Links in Guernsey, Channel Islands, from July 8 to 14.

The men’s team includes Oliver Betschart, Jarryd Dillas, Adam Perry and Jevon Roberts, with Christian Collins and Mikus Ming selected as reserves.

Kim Botelho, Tracy Burgess, Ebonie Cox and Ann Symonds make up the women’s team with the reserves Katrin Burnie and Sienna Mosquera.

Craig Brown, president of the BGA, is convinced that both teams can target success at this year’s Games.

“Overall, I think the teams selected are a great representation of amateur golf in Bermuda, and I’m confident our players will do the island proud both on and off the course this summer,” said Brown.

“All eight individuals have been involved in our high-performance training squad since February, and those sessions will continue as we look to further sharpen our players’ competitive edges in the lead-up to Guernsey 2023.”

At the 2017 Games in Gotland, the last time Golf was contested at the Island Games, the quartet of Walker Campbell, Dillas, Will Haddrell and Mark Phillips finished fourth in the men’s team event, with Dillas placing fifth individually.

The team of Burnie, Linda Down, Elizabeth Parsons and Tariqah Walikraam placed fourth in the women’s team event, with Parsons also finishing fifth individually.

Bermuda has been a perennial medal winner at the Island Games in golf since first entering the biennial competition in 2005. In seven previous appearances, the Bermuda men have won team gold on three occasions (2007, 2009, 2013), and added third-place finishes in 2005 and 2015. The Bermuda women won team gold in 2009, earned runner-up honours in 2005, and finished third in 2007.

Bermudian golfers have also amassed a total of ten individual medals, four Gold, two Silver and four bronze.

“We’ve had some very good performances at the Island Games over the years, so I know the players are all looking forward to the challenge of continuing that success in Guernsey,” Brown said.

“Both teams are aiming to improve on the results from Gotland and contend for multiple places on the podium this time around.”

The International Island Games were founded in the Isle of Man in 1985 and today include 24 member islands in, or associated with, the nine sovereign nations of Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK, plus the Caribbean.

Since 1999, NatWest has been the title sponsor for the Island Games, which have grown to become one of the largest international multi-sport events in the world behind the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.