week in Florida failed to earn him a place in the Senior US Open -- by one stroke.

James carded a one-over-par 73 in the qualifying round on Tuesday on the west course at Grenelefe in Haines, Florida but fell one stroke shy of the qualifying score of even par 72. A total of 105 players tried for five qualifying spots.

James, who began his round on the back nine, finished the 18 holes with an eagle, a birdie, two bogies and a double bogey. He was two over par after eight holes having three putted the 11th and 16th holes.

However an eagle on the par-five 18th enabled him to finish the first nine all even and well placed on the tough course, which has played host to many professional events including the PGA tour school qualifying for 1992.

"This is the best I've done in any tournament and I should have qualified,'' said James yesterday. "I three-putted two greens unnecessarily.

This is one of the toughest courses I've played on.'' A disastrous double-bogey six on the par-four second hole (11th) of the back nine put James back to two over par after his approach landed under the lip of the sandtrap. He admitted he was a bit ambitious with the difficult pin placement.

However, he steadied himself with a birdie on the par-five fifth on his way to finishing with a 73. "I'm disappointed but yet very pleased,'' said James of his failure to qualify after such a good round.

"I've been doing this for five years and this is the highest level I've reached in that time. I'm kind of used to the Florida conditions, which calls for an all-round game.

"A few weeks ago I was in western Canada with Dwayne Pearman and Cornell Bean and my game was coming together then.

"Frankie (Rabain) has been helping me with my swing and we had to make some major changes.'' Later this month James will travel to England to try to qualify for the Senior British Open. Last year's qualifying was held over two courses, Royal Lytham and St. Anne's By the Sea in Blackpool, with the former hosting the Senior British Open. Also planning to make the trip from Bermuda are J.J. Madeiros, Eardley Jones, Brendan (Bees) Ingham and Frankie Rabain.

Bermuda Amateur Stroke Play champion Duncan Zelkin slipped to 11 strokes off the pace after a round of three-over-par 75 at the Rice Planters Amateur Championships in Charleston, South Carolina, on Thursday.

Zelkin, who carded a 76 on Wednesday, continues to struggle with his putting game aht the halfway stage at the Snee Farm Golf Club. He was one-under for the front nine but encountered problems on the back, which left him in 40th position approximately out of 90 golfers.

He was hoping for a much improved performance yesterday and today to gain exemption into next year's event.

LLOYD JAMES -- Failed to qualify for Senior US Open by one stroke.