lead Ed Kirby holds at the half-way stage of the Bermuda Open at Port Royal is one the 30 year-old American professional is determined to protect.

Kirby, who got in the money with a $720 cheque for winning the pro title of the Pro-Am on Wednesday, is in good position to win his first Bermuda Open after nine attempts. But he is trying not to think too much about it, having come close on previous occasions -- three thirds, a fourth, three fifths and a sixth since his Open debut in 1985.

That year Jeff Lewis was the winner and, ironically, Lewis is one ofthose challengers breathing down Kirby's neck going into today's third round. Kirby leads by two strokes over first-day leader John Riegger and three over local professional Kim Swan.

"I'm not trying to think about the lead, I try not to scoreboard watch,'' said Kirby after his three-under-par 68 which is not only the tournament's best score so far but also enabled him to take over the top spot with a two-day total of three-under-par 139.

Kirby's lead might have been even bigger but for a couple of short birdie putts which failed to drop. "I missed from three feet on number two and three-and-a-half feet on 17, and then from five feet on 12 but I made a 30-footer on 13,'' he revealed.

"I got more relaxed after that and felt I could still shoot under par.'' While Riegger's 70 was the best round under windy conditions on Thursday, the perfect conditions yesterday enabled three players to beat that score, as Kim Swan stepped into a higher gear with his 69 and Lewis also went round in 69 to close in.

Riegger, who shot a 71 yesterday, has a two-round total of one-under 141 while Swan is on even par 142 and Lewis a further two strokes back along with another Bermudian, Scott Mayne, who is fifth overall and leads the amateurs following another one-over 72. Dave Purcell, ninth overall, is the second-best amateur after his 73.

Defending champion Gene Fieger improved somewhat with an even-par 71 but is still 12 strokes out of first place.

Kirby knows the opposition and the conditions will provide him with a stiff challenge today and tomorrow as the battle for the top prize gains momentum.

"It's not even close to over,'' he insists. "The only thing that happens after two days is the field separates a little bit.

"I'm getting ready for the USPGA tour school in North Carolina so I've been working very hard on my game. I played well in the US Open so it's been a good year and I'm trying to take it one shot at a time.'' Added the Cumberland, Rhode Island, resident, who has been a pro for the past seven years: "This course will get very hard in the next two days. If I don't win the Bermuda Open I will still go to tour school knowing I played well.

"And even if I have my tour card I think I will always come back because I have a fondness for this place.

"This is my ninth year coming to the Bermuda Open and I have never seen the golf course in better shape.'' The look of the leader board has changed somewhat with Kevin Morris and Rusty Pies failing to improve on their opening rounds of 71 which had them a stroke out of first place. Pies shot a 77 and Morris a 79 to slip to 12th and 18th respectively.

Swan carries Bermuda's best hope of a local winner in the Open for the first time since 1988 when Dwayne Pearman clinched the title.

Swan has won on three occasions -- 1979, '83 and '84 -- and if he can maintain the consistency he has shown on the first two days he could make a challenge right to the finish.

Amazingly, some of Bermuda's top players are facing the cut at the end of today's round.

Pearman, Robert Vallis, Eardley Jones, Noel Van Putten, Arthur Jones, Jack Wahl and Hav Trott are all either in the middle of the standings or in the bottom half. Amateur Trott, a former champion, is the lowest of the bunch, after adding just an 80 to his disappointing 86 on the opening day.

Trott, who won the Open title in '79 and '80 is having a difficult time in his first Open in eight years, losing three balls on the final five holes of yesterday's round.

Another Kirby is making an appearance in the Open, but while big brother Ed leads the way after the best round of the tournament, 21-year-old William at least improved on his 106 on the first day by shooting 91 yesterday.

Ed points out that it is William's first-ever tournament. And while the youngster will not avoid the cut, at least he will be there to cheer on his brother in tomorrow's decisive final round at the end of which $10,000 will go to the winner.

ED KIRBY -- The American holds a two-stroke lead at the half-way point of the Bermuda Open.