Ascento pulled off an upset when he ousted defending champion Mark Dupuy from the Bermuda Match Play Championships at Mid Ocean Club.

In fact it was a disappointing day for the top qualifiers as the top three all suffered losses in the first round.

Ascento needed a play-off on Tuesday to get into the championship flight after being one of five players tied for the final four spots in the top 16.

Unfortunately it was Roy Vandersluis, last year's beaten finalist, who missed out in sudden death, but yesterday the 1999 champion also went crashing out when Ascento stopped him one-up in a close match.

The surprises continued with visitor Cy Kilgore, the medallist two days ago and the 1998 champion, also having an early exit, losing to William Link four-and-three. Link only just got into the championship flight as one of the survivors of the play-off on Tuesday.

Another player just barely qualifying, local Dave Purcell, also knocked out one of the top qualifiers when he beat Doug Ballenger on the 19th. Ballenger's 74 tied him for second in the medal round along with Steven Duxbury and Stan Lee.

Duxbury suffered an early exit, going down to Eddie Marshall two-up to leave the tournament short of a clear-cut favourite.

The last eight for today's quarter-finals include previous winners, locals Robert Vallis and Tim Carr, who had the biggest victories in the flight.

Vallis stopped Dick Blackburn seven-and-five while Carr disposed of Michael Tavares two holes quicker, eight up with seven to play.

Vallis will meet Ascento today while Carr takes on Purcell. Marshall plays Stan Lee, who beat Robert Kulp two-and-one, while Link and Bill Jenks go head-to-head.

In the women's championship flight, medallist Laura Robinson beat Lela Stearns three-and-one while Susan Holland squeezed by Molly McNichols one-up in the closest match of what was the quarter-final round. Valerie Nearon of Bermuda beat American Sally Casey on the 19th.