that he intends to make a strong bid for Robert Vallis' Bermuda Amateur Match Play title yesterday when he disposed of medallist Tim Gamso in the Championship Flight first round yesterday at Mid Ocean Golf Club. Foster was one of two players who arrived from North Carolina on Monday without his clubs as he was forced to qualify with an 83 on Tuesday with borrowed clubs.

But yesterday, using his own clubs, Foster disposed of Gamso three and two to set up a second-round meeting today with visitor Rick Cunha.

"I got my clubs last night and they made all the difference in the world,'' Foster said.

"I hit the ball okay but I didn't putt very well. I had four three-putts and Tim didn't putt well either.'' Foster won the Ontario Match Play title in 1991 and was last year's first flight winner in the Bermuda Amateur Match Play. He admits to have a preference for match play and is confident of making a strong showing in this his second match play tournament in Bermuda.

"I feel very good after today and near the end of the round I putted better,'' he said. "I think I'm going to do well and will be disappointed if I lose in the next couple of rounds.'' Defending champion Vallis breezed by his first-round opponent Dave Schuster five and four and will meet another visitor, Gary Newell, in today's second round.

Two-time winner Joel Hirsch also looks like being one to watch after his five-and-four win over Trevor Gilchrist to set up a meeting with local Adrian Crockwell who beat David Sabir two and one.

Two others to watch closely are Americans Walker Taylor and Tom Studer, a business partner of Hirsch's.

Taylor, the 1991 runner-up, beat George Tingo six and five to line up a meeting with local Howard DeSilva today. Scratch player Studer, who has played in two US Amateurs, four US Mid-Amateurs, eight Western Amateurs and seven North and South Amateurs, beat Conrad Henry yesterday and today meets Tony Readwin.

It has not been a good tournament for last year's runner-up Ricky Cox who failed to qualify for the championship round on Tuesday. Yesterday he was beaten three and one by Dave Purcell in the first flight.

Possibly today's most interesting match is the one between long-time cricket rivals Eldon Raynor and Barry DeCouto. Raynor edged by local Denton Outerbridge one-up while DeCouto had to go to the 19th before beating another local Stan Ingham.

ADRIAN CROCKWELL -- Will face Joel Hirsch today after beating David Sabir.

JOEL HIRSCH -- The two-time champ was a comfortable winner over Trevor Gilchrist.