Fran Marrello turned what had been expected to be a two-horse race into a romp as he galloped away to a six shot victory in the Belmont Invitation yesterday.

Trailing leader Joe Carr by just a single shot going into the final day, Marrello saved his best for last, birdieing three of the final six holes for the day's best round of 68 and a four round total of 274.

Carr, meanwhile, who had led from day one, stumbled to a disappointing five-over par 75, his worst round of the tournament.

And to add insult to injury, he bogeyed the last hole, allowing defending champion Tim Conley, who carded his third successive 69, to tie for second place on 280. If there was any consolation for Carr, it was that he won the senior professional title for the fifth successive year.

But the day belonged to Connecticut's Marrello, a top five finisher in the last four years, who finally came good to pick up the winner's cheque of $3,200.

The 40-year-old pro admitted it was a huge relief to clinch victory after so many previous near misses.

"I just went out to play as well as I could today,'' he said afterwards.

"You're always fighting yourself out there.

"I've been around a long time, so I knew that one of these times it would happen. I'm very thrilled to win a four-day event.

"It may not be the best field in the world, but there were some good players out there. My short game was good this week and I hit some real good shots down the stretch which makes me really happy, because I've had the opportunity to win before and haven't taken it. I've swung scared and lost.

"Today I made a couple of key putts at 13 and 14 and managed to hang on.'' While Marrello actually moved into the lead with a birdie on five when Carr bogeyed, the players were back to even by the ninth. And the turning point came on the troublesome par five 11th when Carr dumped his second shot into the pond and finally emerged with a double bogey seven.

"I made a dumb shot,'' admitted Carr. "I'm one over par, still sharing the lead and in good shape, and then I lose my concentration and put it in the water.

"I tried to hit a five iron short of the bunker, maybe I was thinking past the shot, I don't know, but it was a horrible swing.

"I kept trying coming in but Fran played great those last few holes. He could have birdied every hole from 13 to 17. He never made a mistake.'' While Carr endured a frustrating afternoon, made difficult by rain showers and a strong cross wind, others also fell by the wayside.

Barry DeCouto who had led the junior amateur division by two shots, saw that advantage disappear on the opening two holes as he bogeyed the relatively easy first and then drove out of bounds on the second to finish with a double bogey. Scott Mayne, playing with DeCouto, made the most of his rival's misfortune to take a lead which he never relinquished, finishing with 74 for a 290 total compared to DeCouto's 78 (292).

"It was a thoroughly enjoyable battle today,'' said Mayne. "It was almost like match play. After Barry made that bad start, it was always close.'' Another former Cup Match cricketer, Eldon Raynor, also saw his title hopes disappear on the final day, having led the senior amateur division through the first three days.

Raynor ballooned to an 81, allowing David DeCosta who fired an impressive 73, to overtake him and win by two strokes. Top local pro was Cornell Bean who finished with a 72 for 289, two ahead of Dwayne Pearman and Kim Swan.

Photos by Tony Cordeiro .

MARRELLO THE MAGNIFICENT -- The day belonged to the Connecticut resident, a top five finisher in the last four years, who finally came good to pick up the winner's cheque of $3,200.

Scott Mayne .