able to teach a far larger one of his own during the Bermuda Amateur Strokeplay Championships on the weekend.

In a display of maturity well beyond his 19 years, Sims closed with a final-round 76 for a four-round total of 295 to whip a field of Island veterans -- including three former champions -- at blustery Port Royal yesterday.

Duncan Zelkin was second, a whopping seven shots back, followed by Robert Vallis, Andrew Trott and Henry Ascento.

The victory means Sims will be part of the four-man team that will represent Bermuda at the World Amateur Golf Championships in Santiago, Chile, from November 15-22 (Trott, Henry Ascento and Blake Marshall are also expected to be chosen when the team is officially announced today).

But on a grander scale, it also provided overwhelming proof of the importance of international experience, the US college kind.

And after seeing Sims, just off his freshman year at the University of Rhode Island, win one of the Island's majors, Bermuda Golf Association officials are hoping the example isn't lost on many of their other promising young players.

"He showed real maturity out there -- and I told him that when he came off the green on the 18th,'' said tournament marshall Bob Legere, a longstanding member of the BGA board.

Asked of his improvement, Sims quickly credited the opportunity to play tough courses against even tougher opponents virtually every day. Last week, for instance, he played at the North-South Tournament, a big 54-hole event at Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Never mind the 35th-place finish. It's the observation and learning that goes with it that counts.

"It's more mental than anything else,'' he says. "Before I'd hit an errant shot and it would take me two or three more shots to recover.'' An example came on both the 15th and 18th holes yesterday when he accepted a stroke penalty for a drop after an unplayable lie, basically choosing a bogey over the risk of a double or worse.

"I've messed up so many times trying to hit a stupid shot,'' he said. "The worst that could happen (with the penalty) is that I'd get a bogey. I've learned that it's okay to make a bogey now and then.'' As it turned out, a bogey was what he got on both holes, not to mention others on the eighth, tenth and 14th, plus a double on the fifth.

Not to worry. On the par-five 17th, his second shot left him well short of the green, with a tough uphill lie. He hauled out a wedge, strolled up to the ball and without hesitation lofted a 40-yarder into the wind to within two feet of the cup, promptly nailing the birdie.

"That's one other thing I've learned,'' he said. "You've got to stay in your routine and don't try and rush things. I did that today.'' Sims began the day with just a one-stroke lead over Zelkin and five over Ascento but said he didn't even pay attention to what they were doing. "I was just concentrating on my own game and trying to beat the golf course instead of other people,'' he said.

But beating Port Royal is not an easy task at the best of times, let alone in 20-knot winds. Zelkin had seven bogeys and two doubles for a final-round 82 and Ascento was seven over through the front nine en route to an 85.

"This course is a nightmare,'' said Sims, laughing.

Ascento, the 39-year-old 1994 champion who has represented Bermuda at the World Championships three times, said he never got untracked after arriving at the course late yesterday. But he was impressed with Sims.

"He didn't beat himself. He just played shot by shot and didn't put pressure on himself,'' said Ascento. "I can see him winning a few more events before he's through.'' Sims' win was a popular one with the BGA, who privately endured some criticism for making him eligible for the Bermuda team even though he seldom played locally. Lack of course time is what made Zelkin, the 1993 champion, and Vallis, the champion in 1995 and 1996, ineligible.

"I'm so happy they let me even try and qualify,'' said Sims. Asked if it had been a dream to represent Bermuda internationally, Sims nodded -- but quickly added: "I represent Bermuda every time I play.'' On the women's side, another Sims, Michael's younger sister Lindsay, made a run of her own but couldn't catch runaway winner Alisa Hardy.

The 54-hole women's event ended yesterday but didn't have the same pressures as the men's tournament; Bermuda are not sending a women's team to the Worlds because of the lack of qualifiers.

But that was okay with Hardy, who was just happy with the win after her final round 84. Her 239 total left her 14 up on second-placed Sims and 19 on Pat Morgan.

"It was windy and raining and I just wanted to finish today,'' said Hardy, who also played scholastically in the US -- she graduated from Rawlins College in Orlando 18 months ago -- before returning home to teach at primary school.

With a 12-shot lead going into the final round, she was able to relax -- maybe too much, what with five bogeys and two doubles through the first nine holes.

"After the front nine, I thought, `I better get my act together,'' Hardy laughed.

But with an 86 each, Sims and Morgan couldn't take advantage of Hardy's slip.

MICHAEL SIMS -- The 19-year-old university student was an impressive winner in the Bermuda Amateur Strokeplay Championships yesterday.

ALISA HARDY -- Won the 54-hole women's amateur championship by a whopping 14 shots.