even-par 70 yesterday, good enough for a one-stroke lead over local pro Kim Swan after the third round of the wet and windy Gosling's Amstel Belmont Invitation Championship.

Conley, from Atlanta, Georgia, and champion of the tournament in 1991, began the day on a dismal note trying to slice his way out of the sand trap of the first three holes, but he turned his game around after that by getting birdies on holes five and 16.

Swan shot the best round of the day -- a one-under-par 69 -- to move into second place for a three-round total of 213 and a two-stroke advantage over Joe Carr, who slipped from first to third place.

Conley's three-day total is 212 as he heads into today's final round. The tournament has been plagued by pelting rain and heavy winds since it began on Monday and Tuesday's second round was bumped to Wednesday because of bad weather.

No one is more surprised with his place atop the leader board than Conley, who smashed his fingers in a garage door at his home in Atlanta and had not played any golf for several weeks prior to arriving in Bermuda.

"It still hurts and a couple of my fingers are still swollen,'' said Conley yesterday. "My rounds really haven't been that impressive. I'm not hitting the ball real well.

"But the weather has been just brutal,'' he added. "It's more or less a matter of survival out there.'' Conley, however, seems to thrive in the rain and yesterday recalled playing a "phenomenal round of golf here in the Lobster Pot tournament two or three years ago and it was raining then, too.'' Carr had his worst round of the week yesterday when he fired a four-over-par 74 and now has a three-day total of 215. Carr was coming off his best round, an even-par 70 on Wednesday.

"It was a tough day, although I didn't play too badly,'' said Carr. "I'm going to have to try to make birdies tomorrow (today) if I want to win this thing.'' Carr birdied on two holes yesterday -- one and 10 -- while bogeying on four (12, 13, 16 and 17).

He was not about to blame his rough day on the weather, but...

"I can't ever remember playing in a tournament where the weather was so bad, at least on this Island,'' he said. "But I remember during my days on the tour, the Bing Crosby (tournament) used to have terrible weather.'' Anthony Mocklow, who began the day in third place, dropped a notch to fourth after carding a 74, and his total after three rounds -- 217 -- puts him five shots off the pace.

Bermudian Scott Mayne was supplanted as top amateur in the tournament by Fran Marrello who continues to get hot as Mayne gets cold. Marrello has improved each round -- 77, 72, and 69 yesterday -- for a three-day total of 217. Mayne was five-over-par 75 yesterday for a three-round total of 218.

Also among the leaders is Bob Mucha (218) and Paul Parajeckas (219).

Fan favourite Hav Trott now has a total of 229 after three rounds.

"Those other guys are going to have to have a pretty good round to beat me,'' said Conley. "I think I've got experience going for me, as long as I get my mind over these horrible conditions.'' Later on he joked, "But it all depends on no one trying to club my fingers with their golf clubs.'' JOE CARR -- Slipped to third place yesterday and is three strokes behind tournament leader Conley.

A CUT ABOVE -- US golfer Tim Conley is hoping he has a firm grasp -- sore fingers and all -- of the Gosling's Amstel Invitation Tournament heading into today's final round. Conley leads after yesterday's third round.