commemorating the 24 previous winners of the Belmont Invitational.

Paul Parajeckas is number 25.

After more than ten years of trying, the 47-year-old from Woburn, Massachusetts, finally made the list.

"That plaque means a lot to me,'' Parajeckas said yesterday after his final round 68 clinched the rain-shortened $30,000 tournament. "It means a lot when you walk into this atmosphere and find your name on it.'' Leading entering the final round, Parajeckas was in the same position he's been in countless times before in Bermuda. And with eight other players within four shots of the lead -- the first time in the history of the Invitational it's been that close -- he knew better than to count his winnings.

But this time Parajeckas, who has finished third in the tournament five times and finished second in the annual Lobster Pot Tournament twice, put it away.

His 54-hole total of 208 was five better than second-placed Kevin Morris and six up on local favourite Dwayne Pearman.

"This is the best Christmas present I could ask for ... I'm the happiest guy on the Island today,'' he said. "I'd like to thank so many people because I knew they were watching. I've been coming here so long, they wanted me to win. That's nice because you don't find that a lot where you go in the States.

But in Bermuda, there's special people.'' Some of those people include previous winners such as Paul Barkhouse, Dana Quigley, Joe Carr and local restaurateur Fritz Reiter ("This win is for him more than me,'' he said).

The win -- and the $10,000 first prize -- is the culmination of what Parajeckas conceded has been the greatest year of his career. He finished third in qualifying for the US National Club Pro Championships and was in the the top five in all six New England Open tournaments. He has had a stroke average of under 69 and was named New England Player of the Year.

"I've had a great, great year,'' he said. "Every week it's been just carrying on and this is just another big accomplishment.'' It was also a big final round. His 68 was the only one among the 100-plus entries under par and was two better than the next best round -- a 70 by Carr, who finished tenth.

Morris and Kyle Phelps were only a stroke back heading into yesterday. But Parajeckas, who birdied the third and sixth, made the turn two up after Morris bogeyed the eighth and ninth and Phelps the first and third.

He was three ahead going into the 521-yard 11th -- Belmont's longest -- but Morris closed to within two when he rolled in a ten-foot birdie putt and Parajeckas missed a 15-footer for par.

That was as close as he would get. Even when Parajeckas bogeyed the 16th -- he hit his second shot in the left bunker and barely made it out on his third -- Morris did the same, his five-footer for par lipping out.

A spectacular birdie putt from the fringe on the short 17th put the final nail in the coffin.

"When I hit that I knew I could make bogey on the last hole and still win,'' he said. "But I didn't really know (how I stood overall) -- and I didn't really want to know.'' As he walked up the green on the the par-four 18th, he couldn't resist finding out. "How did Dwayne do?,'' he asked the gallery, meaning Pearman, playing in a group ahead and a guy Parajeckas was most wary of. Even when told Pearman carded a 71 and was six back, Parajeckas didn't smile.

He did, though, after using a nine-iron for a 30-yard chip that stopped an inch short of the cup. Then, after tapping in for par, he threw his arms in the air and shouted "Finally!'' "I was going to throw my hat in the air,'' he laughed later, "but I was afraid it would blow into the ocean.'' Indeed, benign conditions in the morning transformed into the same blustery, threatening skies that had affected play through the first two rounds.

"With the lead going into today's round I just said, `Stay focused and keep on playing consistently' ... I've learned a lot just by having patience, not hurrying, and that's helped me.'' Morris finished with a 72 and $5,000. Pearman earned $3,700 for his troubles.

Phelps, the young Rhode Islander who held the first round lead, had a 75 for a three-day total of 216, good for a fifth-place tie with Tom Sullivan.

In a small field of senior pros (over 50), visitor John Scheffler sr. snared the $1,000 top prize with a final round of 78 for a 231 total, three better than local player Lloyd James who ballooned to an 82 yesterday.

Among the amateurs, Ocean View manager Bill Pitt capped a fine year, adding the Belmont title to the Bermuda Four Ball championship he won with partner Henry Ascento last month.

Pitt improved every day, finishing with a two-over-par 72 yesterday for a 224 total, two better than first day leader Joey McRonald and another Belmont member, Gary Carr, who both finished on 226.

Noel Van Putten headed a strong senior amateur field, adding a 76 yesterday to earlier rounds of 72 and 75 for a 223 total, two less than second-placed Dave Purcell.

Scores, Page 38