Dwayne Pearman laid down a marker after making the perfect start to his Gosling’s Moongate Tour Order of Merit title defence under sunny skies at Port Royal Golf Course on Friday.

The experienced professional carded a one-over 72, which included three birdies and four bogeys, to prevail by two shots in an opening round that saw the lead change hands several times.

“I played very steadily and hit the ball well. I birdied three par threes and had two three-putts,” Pearman told The Royal Gazette.

The multiple Bermuda Open champion held a three-shot advantage over the field heading to the final hole but dropped a shot after three-putting for bogey.

“A little disappointed on the last hole. I hit a great shot right behind the pin and made bogey, but overall I was pleased,” Pearman added.

Scott Roy (74), who played in the final group alongside Pearman, finished runner-up and fellow professionals Chris Smith and Chaka DeSilva and amateur Kenny Leseur tied for third, another two shots back.

Roy, the Turtle Hill Golf Club director, held a share of the lead with Pearman heading to the fifteenth green but saw his victory hopes in the 18-hole medal event virtually go up in smoke after carding a costly double bogey.

“I made some great putts to stay close to Dwayne but made one hiccup on fifteen where I was tied for the lead,” he said.

“Personally, my score is better than it felt and to be able to still compete and play well among Bermuda’s top players feels great. I hope this competitiveness fuels a great year.”

Smith was generally pleased with his display despite failing to capitalise on a few putts.

“It was okay. Working on a few things right now, but it felt good,” he said. “Just needed to make a few more putts, but it’s coming.

“Now it’s back to work to get ready for the next one.”

DeSilva, the Tour cofounder, also gave his performance the thumbs up despite having squandered a few putts himself.

“I am happy. I haven’t been playing too much competitive golf of late so I can’t complain,” he said.

“I squandered many chances and didn’t make one birdie all day, but I hit it pretty solidly. “That score could’ve been a lot better but I won’t complain.”

Leseur rallied from a poor start but saw his round come full circle after making costly errors at the last two holes.

“I struggled the first five holes and was six-over but went four-under the next eleven until I got to the last two holes, where I made some mistakes which cost me a lot,” he said. “I need to clean up a lot of things in my game.”

Professional and Tour debutant Tariqah Walikraam, one of four women players in the field, held her own on the way to finishing an impressive seventh among the 28-strong field with a seven- over-par 78.

“It was a little difficult, but I just tried to take one shot at a time and try to get up and down for a few pars,” she said.

“I was able to have a couple of sand saves and only had one birdie today on number seven, so even with the beautiful course conditions I wasn’t able to go as low as I would like.

“But I think that was a good start for me since that was my first Moongate event, and I look forward to the next one for sure.”

Leaderboard

D Pearman 72

S Roy 74

C Smith 76

C DeSilva 76

K Leseur 76

D Palanyandi 77

T Walikraam 78

J Roberts 79

A Trott 79

A Trott-Francis 79

J Dillas 80

J Bart 81

E Cox 83

A Douglas 83

J MacMillan 83

D Smith 84

J Madeiros 84

M Smith 85

OJ Pitcher 85

S Mosquera 86

M MacGowan 86

D Roy 86

S Lambert 89

M Lightbourne 90

M Thomas 90

J Roberts 90

D Lowe 92

A Cannonier 97