Pro-Am tournament at Port Royal yesterday.

The foursome from Salem Country Club in Peabody, Massachusetts, adapted best of the 23 teams to the extraordinary conditions, shooting a net 134 which put them three shots clear at the top of the leaderboard.

Salem pro Kirk Hanefeld, who will on Thursday bid to win the Lobster Pot pro championship for the fourth time, admitted it had not been ideal weather for producing a steady round.

"It was such a difficult day to play, weatherwise,'' said Hanefeld. "We experienced every season out there -- we got hail, rain, wind and sun.

"I have not played golf in hail very often, not even in the States. Two or three times we got peppercorn-sized hailstones and we waited a few moments for them to melt into the green.

"We were on the 17th when we got the biggest dose and the green was almost totally white.'' Hanefeld himself picked up five birdies, but was keen to give a share of the credit to team-mates Bill Accomando, Arthur McCarthy and John Fisher.

"It was a team effort, everbody contributed. The other guys chipped in with net birdies and we surprised ourselves really.

"As for me, I made a double and three bogeys so I shot 71 -- but I think that's as low as I could have shot in the conditions.'' Tallwood Country Club, whose 144 was the best gross score of the day, will go into today's second day in second place on net 137.

Pro John Nowobilski leads the Tallwood team, backed up by Tom Dolan, Tom Stearns and Brad Faxon Snr.

And one shot further back in third place are Champion Hills Club II, led by professional Chuck Shipman.

Reigning champions Rolling Road Golf Club, led by pro Billy Bassler, lie in joint fourth, tied with Avila Golf and Country Club and the Country Club of York, five shots off the lead.