IF Nick Mansell were asked to deliver his own report card on the recently-concluded World Amateur Team Championships, he'd probably pen something along the lines of 'Satisfactory . . . but could have done better.'

Not that Mansell, Tim Carr or Jarryd Dillas had anything to be ashamed of following their 48th place finish in a field of 62 countries who competed for the Eisenhower Trophy at the bi-ennial tournament which took place last weekend at the Saujana Golf and Country Club just outside Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur.

It's just that under different circumstances, the Port Royal superintendant and his two team-mates all felt their talents might have been reflected by a much higher finish.

As Mansell noted, a marathon 51-hour journey from home to hotel and a lack of previous international competition ultimately took their toll.

And if that wasn't disappointing enough, then just when the island trio felt they were finding their feet, the scheduled final round of the 72-hole championship was called off for all but the leading 20 teams following a morning downpour.

Up to that point on Saujana's two contrasting courses, Palm and Bunga Raya, Mansell had carded rounds of 79, 77 and 84; Dillas 80-79-79 and Carr 85-83-78.

With two scores counting each day, Bermuda were on a 40-over-par total of 472 with, they thought, one round remaining.

And with several countries bunched together after 54 holes, the opportunity was there for teams, Bermuda included, to make a final day charge.

"We were very disappointed not to have been able to play that final round," remarked Mansell on his return this week.

"The other two guys had started playing well. They found a few little problems in their swing and sorted that out, and all of us were quite confident going into the last day." "There was heavy rain and lightning, but only first thing in the morning," added the 36-year-old, suggesting perhaps that organisers had erred on the side of caution.

"They just said the course was too wet and we wouldn't all get around in time, so they made that last round for the top 20 teams only.

"But if we'd played, we think we could have moved up. There were a lot of teams packed fairly close together."

Entering the event, the three Bermuda players - who qualified for selection first through a top 12 place on Bermuda Golf Association's annual Order of Merit and then what amounted to a play-off during last June's Amateur Strokeplay Championships at Port Royal - felt a a final position somewhere in the middle of the pack would not have been an unreasonable goal.

"I guess at the end of it all we were not that happy," reflected Mansell. "I think we all could have done better.

"It's hard to pin down why we didn't play better. The lack of tournament play is probably one aspect of it. We don't get to play in events like this very often.

"And then there's getting used to the pressure of playing for your country, that kind of stuff.

"No doubt getting over the jet lag was a problem. It took us over 51 hours to get there."

Then, even with a few practice rounds under their belts, there wasn't sufficient time, said Mansell, to completely familiarise themselves with the two courses.

"Certainly the conditions weren't quite what we're used to.

"The greens were firm, definitely much faster than here in Bermuda and very undulating.

"On one course they were very small and the other much bigger but just as undulating.

'Both were very nicely maintained, but laid out very differently. On one you definitely had to think your way around. There were a lot of areas you just couldn't miss, otherwise you found your ball slipping down deep slopes or into bunkers and stuff like that.

"I think some of the teams had an advantage because they'd played the courses before. Some players had even been over earlier in the year just to have a good look.

"Geographically, I think we were at a big disadvantage.

"But overall it was a great experience, a wonderful experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it."

For 17-year-old Dillas it provided a rare opportunity to rub shoulders with the best amateur players in the world, no doubt boosting his confidence as he continues his studies at the David Leadbetter Academy in Florida.

"He's still a teenager and I'm sure he learned quite a lot," said Mansell. "He was swinging well - he's just going to be a great little player."