Camiko Smith “found his sweet spot” to seize control of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship Local Qualifier at a rain soaked Port Royal Golf Course on Wednesday.

The professional coped best in the unrelenting downpour to shoot a brilliant three-under 68, which included four birdies and one bogey, to leave himself four shots clear of the rest of the field at the halfway stage of the 36-hole tournament.

“I was pretty steady and stuck with my game plan, stayed patient and stuck with the processes,” Smith told The Royal Gazette.

“I was just plotting away and grinding it out. The game plan was fairways, greens and let the putts roll when they roll.”

The 39-year old got off to a shaky start as he bogeyed the fourth hole after missing a 9ft putt to save par but he bounced back with a birdie putt from the same distance at the 7th to get to even par.

He then kept the momentum going with a clutch 12ft putt to save par at the 9th after his tee shot found a fairway bunker and his approach to the green left him well short of the hole. At the turn Smith was tied with fellow professional Chaka DeSilva and amateur Adam Perry for the lead at even par.

"That was a really big one," Smith added.

Better fortune awaited the experienced player during a flawless stroll in on the back nine, which he played at three under after rolling in three additional birdies without dropping a single shot.

Smith rattled in a 6ft birdie putt at No 13 to dip below par and was unfortunate not have carded another birdie at Port Royal’s signature 16th green after missing a 9ft putt.

However, he was not to be denied as on the penultimate hole he converted a 6ft birdie putt to go two under and he capped a fabulous round with a sensational 20ft birdie on the final hole.

“The back nine was just same thing; staying patient sticking with the process and taking one step at a time,” Smith said.

“I gave myself a lot of chances and holed a couple of crucial putts for par on 11 and 12. I had a really good up-and-down save on 14 and 15 for par and from there just cruised in.

“I found my sweet spot so it was just a matter of rolling it well, and I did that today.”

Smith is attempting to qualify for his third Butterfield Bermuda Championship appearance but his first since 2021, when he shot a bogey-free, six-under 29 on the back nine in the second round to equal the tournament record.

"I have been there before and I just have to keep plugging away," he added.

Also in the hunt to secure one of the three qualifying spots are the amateur trio of Oliver Betschart, Damian Palanyandi and Adam Perry, who are all tied at one over.

“It was a good round overall,” said Perry, whose round included an eagle at the 7th.

“I got off to a little bit of a shaky start and was three over through four holes. I just made silly decisions trying to push it early and then once I got over it I started to have a few putts drop.

“It was really hard to control pace out there putting with the constant rain, but the course was scoreable if you could get control of the pace.

“This is just where I want to be. I didn't want to go out and play myself out of it the first day, so I had to play a little safe on some holes.”

Palanyandi, who made his debut in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in 2021, was also pleased with his round.

“I hit the ball well and got a few putts to drop,” he said. “Hopefully I do more of the same tomorrow.”

Betschart, the youngest player in the field at 15, feels good about his chances of qualifying for the main event for the second straight year.

“I am feeling really good going into the final day tomorrow,” he said.

“It was interesting with the weather conditions we were given, and I think I made the best of what we had today.

“Every time I put myself in position off the tee I was able to give myself a birdie putt, and luckily my putting was really feeling good and I was able to convert some of those birdies.”

Also in contention are professional pair Arriek Douglas and Scott Roy, who are a further shot back at two over.

Eric West, who also made his debut in last year’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship, sits alone at three over followed by fellow amateur Jarryd Dillas and professionals Dwayne Pearman and Nick Jones tied at four over.

Also within striking distance another shot back are professionals Quinton Sherlock Jr, Michael Sims, Will Haddrell and DeSilva.

Roy, Pearman, DeSilva, Dillas and former Web.com Tour player Sims have also previously qualified for the main event.