Dillas Looking Forward To Golf Championships
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Jarryd Dillas says he intends to enjoy every moment of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship as he looks to become the first local player to make the cut in the PGA Tour tournament.
Dillas, one of four Bermudian qualifiers along with Michael Sims, Nick Jones and Kim Swan, will be playing in the championship for the second time since its inception in 2019.
He admits he will need to be at his best from “tee to green” as he prepares to face a 132-strong field, including John Daly, one of the most colourful characters in the game, and Lucas Glover, a former US Open champion.
“Everyone wants to be the first local player to make the cut [and reach the final two rounds],” Dillas told Bernews. “If we all play well, all four of us have a good shot, and we’re excited about the challenge.
File photo
“It’s a fantastic opportunity. Every young kid who plays golf dreams of playing on the PGA Tour.”
Dillas has been grouped with Harry Hall, of England, and Argentine Tano Goya when play gets underway at Port Royal Golf Course tomorrow. He said he is determined to relish the experience more than he did in his previous appearance three years ago.
“This will be my second go at it, and this is a great opportunity,” he said. “I’m trying to appreciate it a little more this time around.
“I was fortunate to qualify for the first one, and you take it for granted and assume you will get another crack at it.
“One year goes by, two years go by, and you wonder if you will get another chance.
“I hope to get the balance right between being focused and taking it all in. I’m looking forward to seeing great golf up close and, hopefully, producing some myself. I intend to bank all that experience.”
It has been an impressive season for Dillas, who represented Bermuda at the World Amateur Team Championships in Paris last month, and finished tied for second at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship Local Qualifier earlier this month.
“My goals were to qualify for the World Amateur Team Championships and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. I’m happy to have ticked those two boxes,” he said.
“My game feels good; I’m striking the ball well, and the putter has shown signs of life.”
Dillas said he is particularly looking forward to rubbing shoulders with Daly, whom he remembers delighting local crowds with his long hitting during the Merrill Lynch Shootout and Gillette Tour Challenge Championship days at Mid Ocean Club.
“John Daly is one of the most recognisable names in the sport,” Dillas added. “I remember seeing him play as a kid. It’s a feather in the cap for the tournament.
“I share his initials, so my friends have joked that they are unsure which JD to support!”
The four-day Butterfield Bermuda Championship is again a standalone event, with the field competing for a share of $6.5 million in prize money, of which the winner will claim $1.17 million.
