Golf Tournament yesterday when they fired their third sub-60 round of the week.

Led by professional Ed Whalley, a long-time competitor in both the Goodwill and the now defunct Belmont Invitational, the foursome from Reading, Massachusetts, produced an astonishing 17-under par round of 53 at Riddell's Bay -- not surprisingly the lowest score of any of the 83 teams competing on any of the four courses so far this week.

That total combined with a pair of 58s earlier in the week at Belmont and Riddell's Bay left Meadow Brook on a total of 169 -- a whopping nine shots clear of their nearest rivals, Bedrock Golf Club, led by another Bermuda regular, Joe Carr.

Now Whalley and his three amateurs, James Robbins, Dr. James Showstack and Robert Young, merely need to negotiate Port Royal without any major blunders today in order to clinch the championship.

With a nine-stroke lead they should be safe, although Carr's quartet could make up ground as they play the less demanding Belmont course.

Two teams are currently tied for third place one shot behind Bedrock -- Raleigh CC from North Carolina and Plantation Country Club from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, with Dwayne Pearman's Ocean View the best of the Bermuda clubs in fifth place on 180, 11 behind the leaders.

Pearman and his amateurs fired a 63 at Port Royal yesterday.

In the gross division, competition is much closer with the Country Club of Landfall from Wilmington, North Carolina, captained by professional Scott Hodges, leading the way on 194.

But within two shots of the lead are three clubs -- Silver Lake GC, Morris County GC and Raleigh CC.

Today sees the final round of what is the 48th edition of the annual tournament while tomorrow at Mid Ocean Club the professionals will compete for the Bacardi Rum Trophy.

Down the middle: Ocean View professional Dwayne Pearman watched by his amateur team-mates (from left) Clevie Smith, Chris Phillips and Renalda Bean, drives during Goodwill Tournament play at Port Royal yesterday. Ocean View carded a net 63 and are in fifth place.