Camiko Smith will rest his Moongate Tour Championship title on the line at Port Royal Golf Course today.

The 37-year-old professional won last year’s inaugural stroke play event and is back to defend his crown in the delayed 2023 season-ending championship.

“It’s been a few months since I’ve competed, so I’m looking forward to having a bit of nerves and putting a peg in the ground and getting after it,” Smith told The Royal Gazette.

“This year for some reason it’s a one round, one-day shoot-out, unlike last year where it was two and if you had an off day you had a chance to come back and make up some ground the next day.

“From what I’m seeing weatherwise it’s meant to be a tough windy Friday, so it will be a dogfight out there and precise ball striking will be a must if the conditions are as forecasted. I would like to thank Port Royal for hosting us.”

The tournament was originally scheduled to be held last September but has been postponed on multiple occasions owing to bad weather and scheduling conflicts.

Smith is among a formidable 18-strong field that also includes 2023 Moongate Tour Order of Merit winner Scott Roy who is also looking forward to getting his competitive juices flowing again.

“I am excited to get back out to playing again,” he said. “The last season for me was awesome with some good scores and being in a position to win the season long points race.

“I am looking forward to closing out the season strong and getting ready for the start of the 2024 season. Playing in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship has certainly improved my mindset and focus when playing, and I hope to keep working on my body and conditioning and competing at this higher level.“

Roy enjoyed a highly successful campaign on the Moongate Tour last year with four victories under his belt and is one of two players in the field that made their debut in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal last November as teenage amateur Oliver Betschart has also thrown his hat into the ring.

Betschart, the youngest player to win on the Moongate Tour, is expected to be in contention along with fellow amateur Damian Palanyandi and professionals Dwayne Pearman, Nick Jones and Chaka DeSilva, the Tour co-founder.

Pearman, DeSilva and Betschart are the remaining players in the field with wins on the Tour last year.

Palanyandi has also enjoyed considerable success as a four-times Tour winner while Jones has two wins to his credit to date.