galloped to a whopping 14-shot victory on the final day of the Bermuda Professional Golf Association Championships at Castle Harbour yesterday.

Despite finishing with a five-over 76, his worst round of the 72-hole tournament, Swan described the victory as "the best possible start to 1995''.

The St. George's pro, who compiled rounds of 69, 70, 66, and 76 for a total of 281, said: "This is exactly the way I wanted to start the year. I've set myself some targets in 1995, and this will help me achieve them.'' Swan, who reshaped his swing at David Leadbetter's American academy last year, said he was now reaping the rewards of that trip.

"I used to be a left to right player, now I play right to left and I find it gives me a lot more options.

"My confidence has improved and I actually feel I can go out and shoot three, four and five under par every time I play.'' That's exactly what Swan did on Wednesday when a hot streak of birdies at eight, nine and 10 and an eagle at 12 set him on the way to a five-under 66 which all but put the tournament out of his rivals' reach.

It marked his best tournament score ever on the Tucker's Town course although he recalled once firing 64 in practice.

Yesterday was a different story as Swan admitted he was more concerned about protecting his lead than shooting a low score.

He toured the front nine in even par with birdies at three and eight and bogeys at one and nine.

But on the back nine bogeys at 10 and 11, and a double at 13 when his chip from the back of the green hit the pin but then rolled off the green down a steep hill, halted any chance of breaking par again.

"I got a bit ambitious on the back,'' he admitted. "The pins were in difficult positions but I started firing at them, missing, and then leaving some difficult chips. "But all in all I'm pleased about the way I played this week. It's a great start to the year.'' Cornell Bean is understood to have finished runner-up in the tournament although for the second successive day organisers failed to provide results, despite repeated requests.

KIM SWAN -- runaway winner of this week's PGA Championships at Castle Harbour.