laurels -- especially when it comes to golf.

A year after reaching the final before well to reach the finals of the Bermuda Men's Amateur Championships when he was beaten by compatriot Dr. Robert Vallis three and two. This time Cox failed to make the field of 32 golfers qualifying for today's Championship Flight after finishing with a whopping 14-over-par 85 at Mid Ocean.

Fierce cross winds were an obvious hindrance to Cox but for a golfer who plays regularly at Mid Ocean he had to be disappointed with his final score. "The course was not playing extremely difficult,'' admitted Cox last night as he described it as one of his worst rounds on the course. "I had five three putts and a triple bogey on 10.

"I'm very disappointed not to be in the championship flight because I was looking forward to doing well again this year.'' Cox admits to being pleased with his game of late. "I've been playing very good golf and to come out and shoot an 85 I can't offer an excuse,'' he said.

"I would put it down as one of my worst rounds and one I would rather forget.

It happens to all of us, unfortunately for me it came at the worst time.'' But while Cox found the going rough, defending champion Vallis breezed around the course with a two-over-par 73 during a practice round. As the reigning champion though he did not have to qualify and the outing was no more than a warm-up for today's match-up against American David Schuster who carded a 12-over-par 83.

Like Vallis, medallist Tim Gamso of the United States found the conditions very much to his liking as well and carded a two-over-par 73. Gamso appears to be ready for today's challenge against American David Foster who could only manage a 83 in the qualifying round.

Another American coping fairly well with the conditions was two-time winner Joel Hirsch who had a four-over-par 75. Today he plays American Trevor Gilchrist.

Veteran Eldon Raynor had a good day and was the top local finisher behind Vallis with a six-over-par 77. Among other locals following Raynor were Malcolm Burgess 78, Noel Van Putten, Howard DeSilva and Barry DeCouto 79.

"The conditions were very windy, it was rough all over the course. I was two over at the turn and remained there until the 15th, then I finished poorly by dropping four strokes over the last four holes,'' said Raynor whose previous best score at Mid Ocean was a 73 during a practice round a few years ago.

Bermuda's Denton Outerbridge, who reached the quarter-finals a year ago only to lose to Jonathan Jame one-up, just barely made the Championship Flight this time around with a 83. Outerbridge and Raynor are matched up against each other today in an interesting all-Bermuda clash.

Also among the well-known local golfers failing to qualify for the Championship Flight however were Bermuda's Dave Purcell (85), Tim Carr (86), Allan DeSilva (86).

American Jeff Kiley failed to arrive yesterday because of flight problems in the United States.

RICKY COX -- Last year's beaten finalists failed to qualify for this year's Men's Amateur at Mix Ocean.