First Published by PGATour.com
A 15-year-old Bermudian has qualified for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Nov. 9-12.
Oliver Betschart (BET-CHAR), a local prodigy who last year became the youngest player to win the Port Royal Golf Club Championship, shot 3 over par in the 54-hole local qualifier to become one of three players – with Eric West and Scott Roy – to make it through.
Betschart will become the second 15-year-old to play in this event in the last four years; Kenny Leseur was also 15 but six months older when he qualified for the 2019 Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
“This has been my goal for the whole year,” Betschart, who shot a final-round 68 in tricky winds, told The Royal Gazette. “And now it’s finally true and it’s hard to accept it but I am really excited. … Last year I was up here working with the tournament staff and seeing all the work that goes on and I am really happy to be a part of it this year.
“I was definitely nervous coming down the stretch and then made a lot of good shots,” he added.
West shot 66 to win the qualifier by four over Betschart and Roy. This will be the first PGA TOUR start for all, and they’ll be joined by sponsor exemption Michael Sims, also of Bermuda.
Betschart missed qualifying for the tournament by a shot last year but finished strong this time around, signed for a 68, then watched as professional Chaka DeSilva narrowly missed tying him with a birdie on 18.
Betschart will be youngest player to compete on TOUR since 2014, and the fifth-youngest since 2000. Only Michelle Wie (twice), Tianlang Guan (six times), Andy Zhang (2012 U.S. Open) and Lorens Chan (2009 Sony Open in Hawaii) were younger.
