qualifying round of the Men's Amateur Match Play Championships at Mid Ocean Club yesterday, on a day when only a handful of the low handicappers could master the wet and windy conditions.

In persistent rain -- although not as torrential as a year ago when bad weather forced cancellation of the qualifying round altogether -- Vallis fired an impressive one over par 72.

That was three shots better than three-time winner Joel Hirsch of the US who is considered the tournament favourite.

Besides Vallis and Hirsch only four others -- Steve Plaskon (76), Mark Dupuy (78), Wayne Walker (79) and Cy Kilgore (79) -- managed to break 80 in the field of 48.

American Doug Ballenger, like Hirsch a former US Walker Cup player, salvaged an 80 and last year's beaten finalist, policeman Tim Carr, an 83, both good enough to secure a place in the championship flight.

Match play begins this morning with 32 in the championship flight and the remaining 16 in the first flight.

While their underdog basketball team were preparing for the NCAA championships this week, a group of Fairfield University golfers took on a Bermuda team.

And the St. George's Golf Club Select handily defeated the Connecticut school yesterday as part of the Bermuda Department of Tourism's Spring Break Sports Programme.

Bermuda's five-man team carded a 270 total compared to 291 for Fairfield. Only the top four scores counted. The only St. George's player to lose was Island veteran Eardley Jones, whose 69 was eclipsed by a 66 from Fairfield's Tom Furey.

Keith Smith led Bermuda with a 62, winning his match with Craig Azlovar (76).

J.J. Madeiros (66), Phillip Pitcher (73) and Chaka DeSilva (73) rounded out the St. George's team.

Phillip Boeheme (74), Dave Maccinowski (75) and Joe Fallon (78) were other Fairfield golfers.