Oliver Betschart has been dreaming of showcasing his talents at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship once again since making his debut in last year’s PGA Tour event at Port Royal Golf Course.

The teenaged amateur has been busy over the past 12 months preparing for the 36-hole Local Qualifier, which gets underway at the par-71 Southampton course today (Wednesday), competing both on island and overseas in the United States and Europe.

“It’s been a year now since I have been dreaming about it again. I have been preparing for the whole year and getting ready for this,” Betschart told The Royal Gazette.

“Everything I could have done has been done in preparation for this qualifier,” he added. “I am really excited and happy to see what I can do out there and show Bermuda and everybody how much work I have put in and hopefully get the result I have been looking for.”

At age 15, Betschart created history on his debut in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship as the youngest player to play on the PGA Tour since 2014 and the youngest ever Bermudian to do so.

While excited at the chance to try and secure one of the three available qualifying spots, Betschart concedes the pressure has intensified to try to do so this time around.

“It’s for sure more pressure this year with qualifying last year and now coming back, but I am feeling ready,” he added.

“I don’t think there’s a big difference; I am playing my game and competing against the course out there. It is different but at the end of the day it’s just a game and whatever happens, happens out there.

“But I am feeling really good with how I am playing at the moment.”

Betschart, who qualified along with fellow amateur Eric West and professional Scott Roy last year, is looking forward to competing among a formidable field which also includes multiple qualifier and former Web.com Tour player Michael Sims.

“I am looking forward to seeing a few Bermudians come back on island for the qualifier as well like Anthony Phipps and Michael Sims,” he said.

“It should be some good competition and I am looking forward to seeing what everybody’s game has shaped into but still focusing on my goals.

Betschart his heading into the qualifier high on confidence having won the final Gosling’s Moongate Tour medal event at Port Royal last week.

“That for sure has been a confidence boost now so close to the event,” he added.

“It definitely helps and I appreciate what the Gosling’s Moongate Tour has been doing and I am really happy that we are able to have a Tour on the island that we can have in preparation for the qualifier.

“This last Gosling’s Moongate Tour event I was happy with my result. It went really well and is definitely a confidence boost now going into this week.”

Betschart also shared his views on this year’s qualifier being contested over 36 holes and not 54, as was the case last year.

“It’s not less favourable, but I would’ve preferred the 54-hole event just because of the world ranking points and it also gives the chance for other Bermudians a chance of getting onto the list in the first place, which I find a bit of shame,” he said.

“But it is what it is; everybody is playing the same event and we all want to win and we wall want to qualify, so I don’t think it makes a huge difference for the 54 to 36 hole competition. It’s still golf and you just got to do it in fewer rounds; just play well in two rounds instead of three.

“We all deserve it and we are all going to fight our hardest and get out there and do our best, so good luck to everyone.”

Meanwhile, experienced professional Sims and West are equally as excited to have another crack at qualifying for the upcoming Butterfield Bermuda Championship to be held at Port Royal from November 14 -17.

“So happy to be home and looking forward to playing Wednesday and Thursday,” Sims said.

“Weather coming in will make for some interesting playing conditions. But it is an outdoor sport, so we will deal with what comes our way.”

West added: “I’m looking forward to playing again this year. I’ll play my best and see what happens.

“It’s very generous of the Tour to offer us three spots again, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to try and qualify again.”