P.H. Horgan and the leading group approached tournament organisers first thing yesterday morning to suggest that the final round of the Bermuda Open be postponed a day to avoid the ?insane? winds.

The course supervisor declined the request, leaving the 44-year-old defending champion to battle 50 mph gusts on his way to an incredible 73 and a three-shot victory over Fredrick Mansson on a wild Sunday at Port Royal.

Horgan recorded a six-over par 290 on his way to his third triumph in the tournament, albeit against a weakened field hit hard by a diminished purse, and admitted it was played in the worst conditions he had ever experienced.

?The top three players reached a consensus that maybe we should play on Monday or at least later in the day,? said Horgan, whose victory in 1986 launched a PGA Tour career which he is hoping to resurrect in the coming season.

?But the organisers said it was playable so we had to go out there and just battle it out.

?A smooth sea never produced a great sailor and the same applies to golf. It was a real test out there. I have played at Pebble Beach where it can get pretty windy, but this is windier than anything I have ever played in.?

Playing straight into the wind on the 16th, Horgan, a former college football star, couldn?t get a three iron to the green from 163 yards on a day where the average score was 83 and only he shot less than five-over.

?If it wasn?t for the thick Bermuda grass I didn?t think the ball would stay still,? continued Horgan, who triumphed after a see-saw battle with Mansson, who started the day even with the defending champion after a magnificent 68 on Friday.

?At one stage we thought the ball wouldn?t even sit still on the greens, it must have been 50 mph out there ? it was insane.?

But with disappointed players coming into the clubhouse with their shot at prize money ruined with sevens, eights and even the odd 12, Horgan showed all his experience from years on the Nationwide and PGA Tours keeping the ball low and somehow managing to card a respectable 73 despite the conditions.

?I am happy to have won again,? he said.

?This is a great tournament and I love playing golf in Bermuda, even in these conditions. And I will be looking to come back next year and defend my crown again.?

Horgan added that he was hoping to get through the second stage of PGA Tour qualifying in the coming weeks and was looking to play a full season for the first time since 2000 either there or on the Nationwide Tour, where he is a former winner.

Mansson shot a 76 for second while Steve Cipa carded a 77 to finish 13-over par for third.

Dwayne Pearman led the Bermudian contingent with an 81 that was enough for joint fifth-place and $1,250 in prize money, while Andrew Trott, top local last year, carded an 84 to finish one behind Pearman.

In the amateur competition, defending champion Dave Allison, who was joint leader after the first round and was aiming for a top ten finish, had a disastrous day on the course, recording an incredible 96 to drop down to fourth in the amateur section and 21st overall.

This opened the way for Leroy Burch to take the amateur honours after his 85 secured him 11th overall.

?That wasn?t golf out there, that wasn?t enjoyable,? said a windswept Burch in the clubhouse.

?It was crazy but I am pleased with my finish. It is great to finish ahead of pros, they really don?t like that.

?It is great for us amateurs, especially when we finish above the local boys.?