tournament as the top amateur.

The stocky 29-year-old, who plays at Greensboro, ended with a score of 290, six-over-par, in his second appearance at the competition after recording rounds of 69, 73, 73 and 75.

That put him seven strokes clear of his nearest challengers in the amateur stakes -- Island resident Mark Dupuy and San Franciscan Barry Soicher.

But the former college golfer, who returned to the amateur ranks after meeting with the frustrations of a couple of the mini-tours, was more keen to test himself against the pros.

"I wasn't thinking about the amateur prize,'' said Fennie. "I'd set my sights a little higher and was hoping for a finish maybe in the top ten.

Playing with the pros and competing with them, you can imagine that you're playing for a few thousand dollars.'' Fennie, who works in golf sales, said partnering Ed Kirby, a regular competitor in the Bermuda Open, was a huge advantage for him.

"I played with him in 1993 when I first played in the tournament. He's a really nice guy who relaxes the whole group.

"I was pretty pleased with my game. Everything felt pretty good other than my putting. I didn't make a lot of long putts but then again I didn't miss too many short ones and I hit 14 greens today.

"On Saturday I was four over on the first five holes and did the remaining 13 in two under. That felt really good. All the emotions had been running and I was just waiting for that bad stretch to be over.''