Visiting professional Kyle Phelps got his Rhode Island Country Club team off to a rousing start when he nailed a hole-in-one at Port Royal?s picturesque par-three 16th on the opening day of the Bermuda Goodwill Championships yesterday.

Phelps? ace helped Rhode Island clinch the daily low net prize with a 55 at Port Royal, considered one of the toughest of the five courses to be played this week, and also lifted him into a tie for second place among the professionals who are batting for honours in a separate stableford tournament.

Phelps accumulated 21 points, the same as Amelia Island?s Ron Philo who played in this year?s US Open.

Leading that division is Keir Smith who recorded 22 points while Belmont Hills? touring pro Michael Sims kept in contention with 19.

Some 91 golf teams ? each with a professional and three amateurs ? mostly from North America but also from as far away as Italy, are contesting this week?s five-round tournament which will take all of them to Belmont Hills, Riddell?s Bay, Port Royal, Mid Ocean Club and Tucker?s Point.

Leading the way in the net division in yesterday?s ideal conditions were Crestwood Country Club who returned an impressive 17-under 53 at Tucker?s Point.

Crestwood are led by pro Rob Baxter with Steve Sampson, Adrian Jones and Richard Ruggiero his three amateur team-mates.

Rhode Island, with Phelps supported by amateurs Joe Desautal, Bill Wall and Rich Powers, are two back after their net 55 at Port Royal.

Belmont Hills ?A? were the best of the local clubs yesterday as they returned a 10-under par net 60 on their own track.

In the gross division, Keir Smith?s National GC, also including Don Pasitano, Frank Fini and Bill Chamlick, shot a superb 62 (nine under par) at Mid Ocean Club to take a one-shot lead over Belmont Hills A and Bethesda CC after both posted eight-under totals of 62 at Belmont Hills and Tucker?s Point respectively.

Among the senior pros, Jamaican Delroy Cambridge, runner-up at last week?s Gosling?s Invitational and representing North Shore GC from Orlando in Florida, accumulated 22 points yesterday to take a four-point lead over Donny Jarvis of The Nassau CC and Gordon Leslie who is playing for National Varsity GC.

In the Senior Team Division, Bear Hill GC from Maryland posted an 18-under net 52 at Tucker?s Point Club to top the leaderboard. Long time visiting pro Ed Whalley leads that team which also includes amateurs James Showstack, Cosmos Trapani and Robert Young.