Tournament at the fifth play-off hole at Port Royal yesterday.

An incredible 60-yard bunker shot to within a foot of the flag at the seventh hole clinched the trophy for Philo.

Both Americans had earlier tied for the best round of the day with a four-under-par 68 and the prize money for the top two finishers was shared between them, giving each player $2,500.

The play-off for the trophy was a cagey affair with both players playing conservatively and making par on the first, second, third and sixth holes without difficulty.

The drama came at the par-five, 531-yard seventh. After both had driven down the centre of the fairway, both hit second shots which put them in trouble.

Morris's effort looked promising, until it caught a tree branch, dropping the ball 120 yards short of the green. Philo managed to avoid the trees, but found a bunker around 60 yards from the flag.

Morris played a good third shot to the back edge of the green, but then Philo produced his sensational bunker shot, well worthy of winning the tournament, and sank a short, clinching birdie putt.

Philo said afterwards the shot was something of a speciality of his. "I guess I have hit that shot and won a few times with it,'' said Philo.

"When I went up to the sand I thought it was going to be a lot softer, but it was pretty firm, which meant I could really hit it.

"When I came into the clubhouse with a 68 I wasn't sure whether that would be enough to win. Last year at Mid Ocean I got a 68 and thought I'd win, but Dwayne Pearman and Rich Parker got 67s.

"In the play-off, I didn't think we'd have to wait too long for one of us to do something good. But the way we were playing, it was like we were just trying to prevent from screwing up.'' Asked whether it was the longest play-off he had been involved in, Philo replied: "No, I once played a 13-hole play-off -- and I won that one too!'' Although Philo is playing for the Country Club of Vermont with three amateur team-mates in this week's Goodwill Team Tournament, he is now based in Florida.

The victory capped a good year for Philo who got through a qualifying event to play in the US Open and also bagged several top four finishes on the New England circuit.

Morris was full of praise for the shot which finally beat him. "To play a 60-yard bunker shot to within a foot of the hole is amazing -- it was a shot in a million,'' he said.

"I thought the play-off might go on for a few holes because we're both steady players. But I'm happy because I've been playing great this week and I've just got to do it a couple more times.'' Morris's Westchester Hills team are joint leaders of the Goodwill Tournament with Suffield Country Club, with the concluding two rounds to be played today and tomorrow.

Third place and $1,300 went to Bill King of the Spring Lake Golf Club, New Jersey, who shot 70.

Ocean View's Dwayne Pearman, runner-up in last year's tournament after losing a play-off, and Belmont's Cornell Bean were the top local finishers, both shooting 71 to tie for fourth place. Each pocketed $875 in prize money.

In the senior division, a round of 70 by Jim Miller of the Metuchen Golf and Country Club, New Jersey, was enough for a two-stroke triumph.