yesterday in the first round of the World Amateur Championships at Capilano Golf Club.

A 25-foot birdie at the 155-yard, 11th hole left Vallis at one-over-par, but he bogeyed five of the last seven holes to finish at six-over 76.

Vallis' score was the best of Bermuda's four rounds yesterday. Veteran Jack Wahl carded an 80 at Capilano, while World amateur rookies Arthur Jones and Glen Simmons fired rounds of 79 and 80 respectively at Marine Drive.

Jones got a preview of things to come when the head of his two iron flew off on the driving range, just 15 minutes before his tee time. Then, midway through the round, he broke his seven iron while hitting an approach shot at the ninth hole.

With the top three scores counting, Bermuda finished the day on 235. New Zealand and the United States lead on 205, five under par. However those scores may change today since the top three scores on each course won't be known until all players have played both courses.

Italy's Manny Zerman and Mike Campbell of New Zealand each shot a three under par 67 to post the day's top score at Capilano. New Zealander Philip Tataurangi had the best score at Marine, also a three under 67.

Vallis was at two-over-par 38 at the turn, and appeared to be on his way to a fine round when he holed a long birdie on the 11th. But three putts at the 12th, 15th, 18th holes plus errant drives into the deep rough at the 13th and 16th holes conspired to leave Vallis four-over-par on the back nine.

"I hit the ball pretty solidly, so I'm pretty disappointed with a 76, '' he said. "I think a 70 or 71 would have been more reasonable today. It was just one of those days when the little things let the round slip away.

"Once you get into the rough here, you are pretty well looking at dropping a stroke unless you get lucky. The rough is very heavy, and it's difficult to get your club onto the ball.'' Wahl had a difficult start, carding six bogeys on the front to make the turn at 42. He double-bogeyed the 10th before settling down to card six pars and two bogeys the rest of the way.

"I had the worst time swinging today that I have had in about four months,'' he said. "I didn't find my swing until the 11th hole. I was god awful up to that point. My back was bothering me, but I popped three Advil and I was fine after that.'' Jones and Simmons each went out in two-over-38, but faltered on the back nine at Marine Drive.

Jones bogeyed the 10th, parred the 11th and 12th, but struggled the rest of the way. He carded bogeys on the 13th through the 16th holes, and then doubled-bogeyed the 17th to finish at seven-over-41 on the back.

"I was in a bit of a panic after breaking the two iron but played pretty well on the front nine and kept out of trouble until the ninth,'' Jones said.

"There, I was underneath a tree, took a swing and must have hit a root or something because my seven iron broke in two.'' Jones said the second breakage affected his game more than the first. "You miss a seven iron more than a two iron. A few times on the back nine, I tried to hit a six iron gently but that doesn't always work.'' Jones missed greens at the 14th and 16th holes, hit his tee shot into the trees at the 15th and then three-putted the 17th after leaving a three iorn approach shot short on the 438-yard par four.

"On the back nine, it was just bogey time. The 13th hole onwards is the toughest part of the course. I'm just happy to start with a round in the 70s.

It's nice to get the first day under my belt and get into the tournament.'' Simmons suffered a similar fate. He bogeyed the 10th, 11th and 14th through 17th holes to go with a double-bogey at the 13th to shoot 42 on the back.

Simmons and Jones will play at Capilano today, while Vallis and Wahl will move over to Marine Drive.

Dr. Robert Vallis -- his 76 was Bermuda's best.