Ed Whalley made a triumphant return to the local scene, aiding Meadowbrook Golf Club to victory in the Lobster Pot Pro-Am Invitational which ended at Castle Harbour yesterday.

Forced into a spectator role after breaking his hand during last year's Goodwill event, Whalley made up for that disappointment as he and amateur partners Bob Murphy, William Sousa and Joe Repose held off a strong challenge from New York's Sagamore Golf Club, led by former Castle Harbour golf director Tom Smack.

And while Whalley's hand throbbed at the conclusion of yesterday's round, the pain could take nothing away from the joy he and the rest of the quartet had in victory.

"I always like coming back here and the hand wasn't going to deter me,'' said Whalley, who estimated this to be his 150th visit to the Island. "The people are too nice here, there's so much camaraderie at these tournaments. Fritz (Reiter) has put together a wonderful tournament and is a wonderful man who knows how to make the occasion enjoyable.'' Entering the day with a six stroke advantage over Smack's foursome containing Mark Brown, Tony Cerrone and Michael de la Hunty, the Reading, Massachusetts outfit squandered four of those while posting a 128 net round for a 383 three-round total, compared to Sagamore's final round 124 and 385 total.

"I was kind of surprised (we won) because Smack was really playing good,'' continued Whalley, this week's senior division winner of the professional championship. "If Smack had been anywhere close we'd have lost it. They made up four shots and we struggled home.

"Sometimes you play by the seat of your pants and that's kind of how it was today.'' Meadowbrook owed a particular debt to Sousa, one of two local additions to the group -- Repose was the other -- who saved his best for last, posting eight net birdies.

Yet, Whalley emphasised it to have been a total team effort all week and pointed to Tuesday's round as the key, when they carded 122 -- they posted 133 in the first round.

"He (Sousa) played so well today, the best he had all week and really carried us,'' he said. "(But) it was just the way we got around, nobody got upset when we missed putts.

"Everything happened on Tuesday when we had a really good round, everyone had a birdie and I shot 69...with a lost ball.

"Personally, I was really pleased about playing again, because I had my hand repaired for the third time. Right now it feels very tender, like it could fall off at any moment and I'll have to rest a bit now and get ready for the start of our season back home.'' Whalley played no more than five rounds in all of 1995 because of the broken hand and for the Pot tournament had it bandaged, while placing a sponge into his glove to combat the shock of hitting.

And he promised to return in November for the annual challenge match that pits Bermuda's pros against a team of New England professionals.

Weighing in third were Woburn Country Club, another Massachusetts club, with 392 after rounds of 130, 131 and 131.

Yesterday's One Day Pro-Am saw Ocean City Golf and Yacht Club triumph over four clubs. Ocean City carded 129, while four clubs -- Champions Hill Club I, Wannamoisett Country Club, Champion Hills Club III and Salem Country Club II -- each tallied 132.

STIRRING THE POT -- Winners of the Lobster Pot Pro-Am Invitational, Meadowbrook Country Club, pose after yesterday's final round. From left, Bob Murphy, Ed Whalley, William Sousa and Joe Repose.