the 54-hole Bermuda Senior Men's Golf Championship at Riddell's Bay yesterday.

The defending champion, who finished seven strokes clear in last year's rain-shortened event at Belmont, carded a second successive two-over-par 71 as the field opened up after a close first round in which only four strokes separated the top six players.

Bermuda's Howard DeSilva, who was just a shot behind overnight, could manage only a disappointing 80 to slip back to fourth on 152. Eddie Marshall fired 74 to take over second position on 149 while Charlie Holden carded 76 to finish on 151.

Former winner Jack Wahl and Noel Van Putten, third last year, shared sixth position on 154, a stroke behind Eldon Raynor.

Malcolm Gosling, meanwhile, with a handicap of 15, took over the lead in the net division on 132.

The event has attracted a record field of 45 competitors with nine of those from overseas.

Diana Diel took the lead after the first round of the 36-hole Ladies' Championship, which got underway yesterday, shooting 84.

Gill Riihiluoma was two strokes behind on 86 with Lily Ly the nearest other challenger on 95.

Ly's handicap of 26 made her the net leader on 69.

Full results, see Scoreboard Led by Carol Hammond and Katyna Rabain, Bermuda's ladies team competing at the annual Kitty Michaels Invitational Tournament in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, moved into second place in the net division after Wednesday's first round.

Hammond and Rabain both carded net 73s on the Carambola course while captain Shirley James fired 75 as Bermuda registered a team score of 221, 12 shots adrift of first round leaders, St. Croix.

In third place among the 12 teams competing were South West Florida, one shot beind Bermuda on 222.

In the gross division, hosts St. Croix also led with 254 -- ten clear of Jamaica (264) with Baltusrol in third on 266.

Hammond and Susan Holland both returned Bermuda's best gross scores -- 89 -- while Judy Kitson fired 90.

The tournament, which Bermuda helped found more than 20 years ago, was due to continue yesterday and today.

George Hutchings beat Ian McLean on the 17th hole to lift the Mid Ocean Club men's championship last weekend while Molly McNichol claimed the ladies' title when she beat Valerie Nearon on the final hole.