51-year-old American Joel Hirsch on Saturday won the Bermuda Amateur Match Play Championships for a third time when he defeated champion Robert Vallis of Bermuda four and three at Mid Ocean Club.

In the 36-hole final Hirsch, of Chicago, took a firm grip of the proceedings early when he finished the 18-hole morning's play five-up and then managed to shrug off any challenge Vallis could muster during the afternoon's session.

The best that the talented local player could do over the final 18 holes was to trim the lead to three after the 10th hole. But Hirsch gained control on the 11th and went four-up to take a firm grip, which he managed to maintain until the end.

Winner of the event in 1981 and '83 and a losing semifinalist to Dick Horne in 1984, Hirsch was never pressured by his opponent after going five-up in the morning.

"I had a good pace all day and the interesting thing is that all week long I was never down in a match,'' said the winner at the end.

"During the morning I was very sharp. I hit a lot of greens and putted well and the greens that I missed I later did okay by chipping well. Robert played good golf, the only difference was that he missed a lot of short putts,'' explained Hirsch.

While Vallis experienced putting problems over the first 18 holes, Hirsch breezed along playing consistent golf and was in a solid position when play resumed in the afternoon.

Vallis' game looked as though it would take a turn for the better when he trimmed the lead to four on the first hole with a marvellous 15-foot putt for birdie.

He however failed to exert pressure on Hirsch on the second after missing a three-foot putt that could have seen Hirsch's lead slip to three. Hirsch's wife Cynthia, who was among the 60 spectators who followed the players throughout the afternoon, was breathed a sigh of relief as Vallis blew the attempt.

Frustration for Vallis really set in on the third when his tee shot went to the left and into the rocks to eventually enable his opponent to go back to five-up.

The duo battled on competitively with Hirsch's lead shrinking to four-up after Vallis won the sixth hole.

They halved the seventh while Hirsch won the eighth to go back five-up. Vallis won the ninth and 10th as Horsch's lead slipped to three-up for the first time, but that was the closest he was able to get to his American opponent.

"Being three-up is a pretty good lead with just nine holes to go and I wasn't really feeling any pressure at that time at all. I wasn't playing my opponent's game, I was playing my own and I was confident because I was doing well all week,'' added Hirsch.

"Even when I am down in a match I try not to be too concerned, I would just go and do the very best that I could and that has always been my approach.

"Robert is a real good golfer, it would have been closer had he putted a little better. He defended his championship with much valour.'' THAT'S THREE -- Joel Hirsch's wife Cynthia signals how many Amateur Match Play title he has won after Saturday's four-and-three triumph over Robert Vallis.