Local qualifiers Camiko Smith, Nick Jones and Eric West are hoping to prove themselves worthy of their place in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, which gets under way at Port Royal Golf Course this morning.

Smith, who blazed a record-equalling, six-under 29 on the back nine three years ago to become only the third player to achieve the feat in tournament history, is making his third appearance in the PGA Tour event, with fellow professional Jones and amateur West their second.

The three tee off from the 10th tee within 22 minutes of each other, with Smith the first to play at 12.47pm, and it will be the first chance for him to test out the improvements he has tried to make to his mindset.

“Mentally, I have been doing some work and just trying to stay in the present, staying focused, and it’s been going well,” he told The Royal Gazette.

“I have prepared well for the tournament and doing what I can, controlling what I can and doing what I can to my best ability.

“My coach, Carlos Brown, has really helped me to get my mind and game in a great spot and I am looking forward to that first tee shot. I am just going out there, putting my best game forward, but I feel really good mentally and physically.”

Smith will be playing his first two rounds alongside brothers Wesley and George Bryan, players he has got to know well after caddying for them at previous championships.

“It has helped over the years being on the bag for Wesley and George, seeing and being around that level and understanding the things I need to do to get there and stay at that level,” Smith said.

“There has been a lot of learning and that’s all we are doing; just learning, improving and seeing how far we can go.”

This year’s field includes major winner Francesco Molinari and 19 players who have won a PGA Tour event in the past three years, and Smith is pleased to challenge himself against the best.

“It looks like a really, really good field,” Smith said.

“We have Francesco Molinari, who won the Open going up against Tiger and he’s a Callaway guy like I am. We also have Cameron Champ who has been a very big inspiration over the years and he is a big hitter and a really good guy.

“I am here as a competitor just like everyone else and we are all out there to try and win a golf tournament; put a tee in the ground and go get it.”

Jones, who made his debut in the tournament in 2022, has been working on his short game leading up to the tournament.

“My preparations have been good,” Jones said.

“I have been practising a lot, honing in my irons and picking spots on the putting green to give myself the best chance; I know where to miss and not to miss on the greens.

“I have been focusing a lot on my short game and giving myself some more confidence to compete at a higher level.

“Mentally, I feel very good and I have been trying to focus on staying calm under pressure. I have been working on keeping my flexibility and strength up so I can perform at the highest level I can and I am in very good shape at the moment.”

Jones, who plays on the Advocates Professional Golf Association Tour in the United States, intends to put his previous experience in the event to good use.

“The first time was a great experience and I learnt a lot,” he said.

“I have confidence that I have been under pressure before and I played well. I try to keep my expectations at a minimum and do the best I can on each shot.

“My father [the late Eardley Jones] said ‘don’t expect to be good, you have to be good’. You have to do the action of being good, you can’t expect to be good, so that you can give your all on each and every shot.”

West is hoping his local knowledge of the course and playing in inclement weather will help him in his effort to make the cut.

“I’m feeling great and my preparation since the qualifier has gone well,” he said.

“The body is ready to go and my expectations are to go out there and battle. Conditions will be tough and that’s when I play my best. With the weather forecast, all my experience will be recruited. Knowing how the course plays with a northerly wind is going to be helpful.”

The former Tour de las Américas player is feeling more at home as he prepares to play in the championship for the second time.

“This year feels a lot more comfortable and I’m treating it like a normal tournament,” West said.

“The PGA Tour is the pinnacle of the sport. While we don’t have some of the names we’ve had in the past, it doesn’t really matter from a competitive standpoint. All these guys are just so much better than you can imagine.

“It’s such a privilege to be able to tee it up with them. The winner this year will have to play some great golf to end up on top.”