If cricket, an innings triumph.

Put to a vote, this was a landslide.

The IAS Bermuda Professional Golf Association championship was over long before competitors took to the 6,512-yard Mid Ocean Club course for yesterday's fourth and final round.

There was never a doubt who would win, rather the question was by how many.

Answer: A lot...try 26 strokes a lot.

Entering with a 20-shot lead after three rounds, Ocean View pro Dwayne Pearman merely extended that margin by six by the time the day ended.

And as the 35-year-old walked the 18th fairway, a smile he'd been concealing all week finally broke.

Pearman's round of one over par 72 yesterday, added to earlier scores of 67, 73 and 69, allowed him a total of 281 (three under par).

It was not one of his best -- but the defending champion didn't need it to be.

Pearman yesterday went through the front nine in even par, notching birdies at number two as well as the par four ninth, where he brilliantly placed his second shot to within four feet of the hole and drilled the short putt.

The back half was not as kind -- he was one over -- however Pearman drew raves from playing partners Kim Swan and Steven DeCosta at the tenth after blasting out of a difficult spot deep in the front-side bunker to within five feet of the pin.

"You are the master,'' said Swan in reverence.

"You've made a believer out of me,'' chimed DeCosta.

Pearman had long banished the two into a battle for second place -- a very intriguing one as it turned out.

DeCosta began with a five-stroke advantage over Swan, but continually gave away shots, suffering through a tortuous front nine, where he shot five over to allow Swan to move within three. After 16 holes, the pair stood level.

Swan went ahead after DeCosta missed a four-foot par putt at 17, however the former returned the charity at 18, overshooting the green and landing in an oleander hedge and being forced to take a drop.

Both ended on 307 (27 over par), with Swan finishing with a round of 73, while DeCosta weighed in with 78. Both collected $769.50 for their efforts.

Nevertheless, this day -- and indeed week -- belonged to Pearman, who took the victory in stride.

"I just wanted to go out and play comfortable and continue to do what I was doing,'' said Pearman, who collected a cool $1,249 for his four days work.

"There was a little bit more breeze today and I played all right, I had some really good chances on the front nine that I didn't capitalise on and then I went and made a few bogeys, but that's golf.

"I'm pleased. My goal, when I get into these tournaments, is to try and shoot under par and I was three under par. This (victory) feels good and to win by that many strokes makes it that much better.'' Likewise pleased with his finish, if not overall performance, was Swan, champion in 1995, but unable to rekindle the magic this week.

After starting well with a 72 on Monday, Swan let things slip on Tuesday and Wednesday, posting 83 and 79 respectively, to fall from contention.

"Today I was pleased because I played respectable golf,'' said Swan, the newly-elected BPGA president. "I wasn't happy with my putting in the middle of the round, it was indicative of what I'd been doing all week.

"Everyday I started off at least even par through eight holes and then let it go in the middle part of the pack. But today I had a task ahead of me, I knew that I had to play well in order to finish at least second, so I tried to play as best I could and I was pleased that I was able to do that.'' DeCosta, doubling as tournament chairman, was glad it was all over, but happy with how things went.

"Today I got off to a bad start, I was five over after five and allowed Kim Swan to make up four shots in the early holes through bad golf shots and poor decision making,'' he said. "But from five to 15 I ran off ten pars and led by one and then he took the lead on 17 and then we finished all even, so I feel it was a just day. I really enjoyed the competition with Dwayne and Kim.''