have set a world record following a stunning start to the annual Founder's Trophy tournament on Monday.

Alec Anderson, better known in sports circles as tournament director of the annual XL Bermuda Open tennis tournament, teamed up with American partner, Russ Hardin of Georgia, to take the first round net lead of 58 -- an incredible 13 under par.

But even more incredible was the way in which the duo started their round on Mid Ocean's tough opening three holes -- net three, net two, net one! Hardin parred the first for a net three, Anderson holed in three at the par five second for a net two and amazingly Anderson then aced the par three third.

His reaction? "We completely lost it,'' Anderson admitted. "Although all the other guys were making more noise than I was. Apparently players could hear us on the 10th and 11th.

"It was scary. It was just the best seven iron I'd ever hit, completely straight and you could hear all the guys saying: `It's going in, it's going in'. You could see it crystal clear from the tee. A couple of bounces and it was in.'' Of his efforts at the previous hole, where he secured a three, net albatross, he said: "I hit a pretty solid drive but it was in the rough on the left behind a tree. I tried to cut round the tree with a five iron and it landed on the green about 15-yards away from the pin. I think that was about the best shot I'd ever played till I hit the hole in one.'' Anderson, playing off a handicap of 14 to his partner's 10, added: "What was really pleasing was that after all the excitement we didn't fall away.'' Indeed, six under par after those three holes, the pair, former High School and University of Virginia pals, then birdied (net) the next two holes and five more of the remaining 13 to take a one-shot lead over Bermuda's John Rayner and Philip Brady of the US Virgin Islands.

Said tournament press liaison officer John Winwick: "Their score for the first three holes -- six under par -- must be close to a world record for a four-round tournament.'' Torrential rain on Monday night and yesterday morning flooded the course, preventing play in the second round which was postponed until today.

Anderson agreed: "It was a bit of an anti-climax but I don't know if it's possible to have a better day. Everything about Monday was perfect.''