The cream rose to the top at Belmont Hills yesterday as former PGA Tour players P.H. Horgan and Tim Conley blitzed the redesigned 6,000-yard track in identical fashion ? both shooting four-under-par rounds of 66 on the second day of the inaugural Gosling?s Invitational.

But it?s three-time Bermuda Open champion Horgan who holds the edge, sitting on a six-under-par total of 134 for a half-way lead of three strokes over Conley, himself a former Open champion.

The two Americans separated themselves from the pack on another windless, sunny day conducive to low scores.

Horgan, a late entry who played the course for the first time on his arrival on Sunday and proceeded to shoot a first round 68 the following day, went two better yesterday with a blemish-free round that included two birdies and an eagle on the par-five 12th.

?I?m pretty happy where I am at this point,? said the 44-year-old. ?I gave myself a lot of putting opportunities today which I didn?t convert. But generally I played well.

?I think this course puts a premium on driving. You have to put the ball in the right position and so far I?ve been able to do that.

?I?d never played the course until Sunday and I?ve got to say it?s in terrific shape. The greens are very undulating and probably a bit quicker than when I played Port Royal (Bermuda Open).

?You have to play smart here and you have to be patient.?

Conley, suffering from a pinched nerve in the chest which kept him out of PGA Tour Q-School last month, showed no ill effects yesterday as he improved by five shots on his opening round 71.

But first day joint leaders Joe Carr and Joe Rinker didn?t fare so well. Former Belmont Invitation winner Carr could manage only a four-over-par 74 while Canadian Rinker added a 72 to his first-day 68 to leave him at even-par 140, six shots behind Horgan and three adrift of Conley.

Bermuda?s best round of the day came from former European touring pro Kim Swan who is making a return to tournament golf this year after several years on the sidelines.

Swan fired a one-under-par 69, seven shots better than his opening round 76 and one of only four sub-par rounds.

?I?m hitting the ball well. I enjoyed it out there today,? said the trim-looking UBP senator.

?I birdied the last (18th) which was particularly satisfying after having bogeyed the 17th, the short par-three. So that got me back under par.

?I think physically I?m now in better shape than when I stopped playing professionally back in 1984. I?ve been working on my game and it?s coming back. This is about the fourth tournament I?ve played since August.

?This is what I enjoy most. If I can continue to improve, we?ll see what happens.?

Meanwhile, Ocean View pro Dwayne Pearman, generally regarded as the Island?s top tournament player, returned a 71 after a first-day 72, leaving him at three over par and nine shots off the lead.

?I?m striking the ball well but my putting needs to improve,? said Pearman. ?I?m missing those five and six footers which you really need to make. The greens are tough but that?s not really the problem.

?I?ve got some work to do. I?d probably have to shoot five or six under tomorrow to stand any chance of winning.?

White Plains, New York pro Kevin Morris moved into third place on 138 with his round of 68 after an even-par 70 on Monday.

?I?m playing pretty good at the moment,? said Morris. ?I had three birdies on the front, then birdied 12 and 14. I guess the main thing was that I kept it in the fairway which you have to do on this course.

?But I believe the weather?s going to be the key. We?ve had perfect conditions for two days but if the wind gets up that could make it very tough. At the moment we?re hitting wedges and nine irons into the green. If the wind blows, we could be hitting five and six irons.

Morris, who competed at the Belmont Invitation during the 1990s, agreed with Horgan on the condition of the course.

?I?ve got to say they?ve done a magnificent job here,? he said. ?This course is one thousand times better. It?s short but it?s tough.?