Bermuda's three-man golf team turned in a solid if unspectacular opening round when the World Amateur Team Championships got underway in Malaysia yesterday with 62 countries competing.

With two out of the three scores counting towards the team total, Nick Mansell handed in Bermuda's best card of seven-over-par 79 while 17-year-old Jarryd Dillas carded an 80.

That left the Island team with a combined total of 15-over-par 159, good enough for 46th place overall.

Bermuda's third player, Tim Carr, returned a 13-over-par score of 85.

All three were playing on the par 72, 6,939 yard Palm Course at Saujana Golf and Country Club just outside Kuala Lumpur.

Today they switch to the slightly shorter Bunga Raya Course, also par 72, which measures 6,742 yards.

In the individual standings, Mansell, the superintendent at Port Royal Golf Course, is currently in a tie for 101st and Dillas tied for 115th.

The 72-hole tournament continues through Sunday with teams alternating between the two courses.

Defending champions USA, fuelled by second nine surges from Hunter Mahan and Ricky Barnes, posted a seven-under-par total of 137 yesterday to take a commanding five-stroke lead over France.

The French finished on two under par 142. They were followed by Argentina, Colombia, England, Finland and Thailand at one-under-par 143.

USA, France and Finland played on the Palm Course and Argentina, Colombia, England and Thailand at Bunga Raya.

"We started a little slow, and at the turn we were one-over," said US captain O.Gordon Brewer Jr. of his team's performance. "But, we finished strongly."

Mahan, who putted just 26 times, tied for the day's low round at four-under-par 68 that included four birdies on the final nine holes. Runner-up at the 2002 US Amateur, Mahan birdied the 16th, 17th and 18th holes. Colombia's Camilo Villegas, who plays at the University of Florida in the US, also shot four-under-par 68.

"It's the first day, you just take what the course gives you," said Mahan, who plays at Oklahoma State.

Barnes, the 2002 US Amateur champion from the University of Arizona, was also four-under-par on the inward nine with birdies on four of the last five holes, and finished with a three-under-par 69.

France were led by a two-under-par 70 from Gregory Bourdy and an even-par 72 from Eric Chaudouet.