American Kirk Hanefeld will be smiling all the way to the bank after he clinched the first-place cheque of $9,000 in yesterday?s final round of the $50,000 Gosling?s Invitational at Belmont Hills.

Hanefeld, who recently qualified for next year?s US Champions Tour for seniors, came in with a one-under-par 69 to finish at 274 ? six under for the tournament and two shots clear of runner-up Delroy Cambridge who finished with an even-par 70.

The newly-crowned champion either led or shared the lead over the duration of the 72-hole tournament for all but a handful of holes.

Bermuda?s Michael Sims (71) and Dwayne Pearman (73) were the top local finishers, finishing in a four-way tie for seventh.

Tim Conley?s 65 ? yesterday?s lowest score and the best of the week ? saw the American make a late surge up the leaderboard to claim third place honours.

However, the day well and truly belonged to Conley?s compatriot Hanefeld who took full advantage of another sudden rush of blood by the over-aggressive Cambridge whose approach to the pins and putting game came undone at the seams with the championship on the line.

After regaining the lead with one hole left to play ? the third lead-change of the round ? Hanefeld took the cautious route and played it safe to the 18th green where he made par with a short putt to clinch the tournament.

Conversely, Cambridge?s game finished just as badly as it had begun earlier with bogeys on the opening two holes ? additional bogeys arriving at the par-three 17th and par-four 18th.

However, despite Cambridge?s poor start, little separated the tournament?s top two contenders on most of the front nine.

?Delroy and myself were very close over the first nine holes where I didn?t play particularly well and hit the ball out of bounds on one hole (par-four fifth). I made a double-bogey there and so really there wasn?t too much happening for me on the front nine,? a victorious Hanefeld told .

?I was keeping tabs on Delroy all the time because he and I were either tied or one shot up. It was very close almost all day long.?

Hanefeld, who turns 50 next May, couldn?t have asked for a better start to the round after Cambridge dropped two shots on the opening two holes.

His joy, though, would be short-lived as the 6ft 2 ins European Senior Tour player grabbed a share of the lead following successive birdies at three and four and after Hanefeld had sliced his drive off the very next hole out of bounds.

?As soon as I hit my ball out of bounds at number five I knew I had my work cut out for me the rest of the way,? Hanefeld added. ?From that moment on I knew I had to bear down and grind it out.?

But the see-saw battle continued at the seventh hole where Cambridge bogeyed to relinquish the lead to Hanefeld who made the turn at one-over 36, and he remained ahead until the 16th where his Jamaican-born rival produced perhaps, his best golf of the day to pocket his sixth birdie for the round and leave the two rivals all square again with two holes remaining.

Then the bottom fell out of Cambridge?s game as his aggressive approach to the par-three 17th landed in the rough just to the right of the green.

?I think he made a strategic error when he short sided the green. I thought he had an okay lie but not a lot of green to work with and it was just a tough up and down,? added Hanefeld, who aimed his tee shot to the left of the pin to make it in three.

?He then happened to make bogey on the last hole also which made it a little easier for me. I was not going anywhere near that pin (at 18th). It was definitely going to be going right and I was just trying to play for four once I knew I had a one-shot lead.?

Cambridge, who pocketed $8,000 for his efforts, admitted afterwards ?making too many bogeys? ultimately cost him a shot at the title.

?I actually started out behind the eight ball on the very first hole, the easiest hole on the golf course where I made five,? he lamented. ?Then I thought I hit a good shot at number two but it ended up in no-man?s land. But that?s the way the game can get sometimes.?

Still, Cambridge rebounded admirably via birdies at three and four to put himself back in contention. But again he failed to capitalise when opportunity knocked.

?After Kirk hit out bounds I three-putted three greens and made some really bad mistakes,? Cambridge conceded. ?I think I could?ve given things a better thought out there today.?

The real damage, however, occurred at the 17th which ultimately put paid to Cambridge?s hopes, and laid the foundation for Hanefeld?s two-shot victory.

?I knew the pin was on the right side and I should have stayed to the middle of the green and let the wind take it in,? Cambridge lamented.

Conley, in stark contrast, was full of smiles after equalling the course record with yesterday?s low round of 65.

?I knew I was going to get better as the tournament progressed. But I missed a lot of short putts and then all of a sudden I was the luckiest guy in the world over the last five holes because I made some long birdies,? he said.

Joe Rinker, who shot a 68 for the second straight day yesterday, also carded a 65 last year en route to claiming runner-up honours.

Conley added: ?You can?t ever give up or control what others are doing. I shot 65 today and I hit a ball in a palm tree at number ten where if a spectator wouldn?t have found it who knows what would have happened.

?It?s just amazing how I can miss so many short putts but yet make a couple of 20 footers. It?s all about attitude and this is a fun golf course to play. And you just can?t give up out here and I am too old to get mad anymore.?

2001 Bermuda Open champion Bill Walsh ? one-under at the turn ? failed to make inroads on the leaders on the back nine after making an early surge.

?I was within two shots of the lead and hit it close on nine. But then I missed a four foot birdie putt and on ten I hit it about 15 feet for an eagle putt but three-putted,? said Walsh, who departs for his native Toronto today.

?I managed to par 11 but I missed a short birdie on 12 and that was kind of my undoing. I think if I could have putted reasonably well today then I might have been alright. But unfortunately my putter let me down and it was not to be.?

Yesterday?s final round action was no less intense among the amateur and senior divisions where Hav Trott (75) overtook overnight leader Jeffery Lindo (80) and romped to a four-shot amateur win and Max Atherden (78) came from behind to overhaul Noel VanPutten (85) who finished tied with Winston (Coe) Trott (75) for third in a competitive seniors division.