sportsman's dream and should go some way to confirming Bermuda as the most exciting little island in the world in a sporting sense.

Where else can you watch the world's top match-race sailors in action in the morning and then take in a World Cup soccer match live in the afternoon? And if you want to give the sailing a miss, you could instead catch a glimpse of some of the top golfing professionals in North America that are not on the US PGA or European PGA tours.

Only in Bermuda? This weekend promises so much for the all-out fan. There are many who will see only one of either the final round of the Bermuda Open, the beginning of the Omega Gold Cup or the national soccer team's opening second-round qualifier against El Salvador.

But the few who get to witness at least one of them on Sunday can consider themselves amongst the most fortunate.

The World Cup rightly takes centre stage and will probably do so until this stage of qualifying ends with a home match against Canada on December 6.

But let's first take a look at the competition it has to fight off.

This version of the Bermuda Open Golf Championship, co-sponsored by Mutual Risk Management and Exel Insurance Ltd., promises to be the best-ever.

The field is staggering in that eight past winners are assembled at Port Royal Golf Club in the 72-hole stroke play event.

Tim Conley made the Island his own it seemed last year when he went on an exciting run that carried him to victory in the Belmont Invitational, Goodwill Tournament (with Chateau Elan GC) and Lobster Pot pro title.

And this year he had perhaps his best success in the United States with four wins on the Mini-Tour and a first-ever qualifying berth to the US Open at Pebble Beach where he missed the cut.

Competition? Conley will have plenty this weekend.

Defending champion Ron McDougal is just removed from representing the US in a team event against Europe while other notables in the field include Ed Kirby, Tim Balmer, Bob Mucha and Bermuda's hottest pros Kim Swan and Dwayne Pearman.

Bermuda's number one sailor Peter Bromby takes to the waters on Sunday in the preliminary rounds of the Gold Cup. He will be joined by Martin Siese, the IOD Class champion who finished second to Bromby in the Bank of Bermuda Cup trials a fortnight ago.

The Gold Cup features five of the world's top 10 match racers, including top-ranked Chris Dickson of New Zealand and number two Russell Coutts, also a Kiwi.

But as was seen in last year's event, the favourites do not always persevere.

Defending champ Eddie Warden-Owen of Britain can attest to that as he came through the field in unspectacular fashion before turning it on in the semifinals and finals.

Paul Cayard is a repeat performer in the Gold Cup, but this year he also carries the tag of America's Cup losing finalist. Cayard came through a demanding Challengers Series while sailing for the Italians in Il Moro di Venezia. But in the finals, Americ 3 ruled supreme.

The biggest crowd drawer will be the big soccer match at National Stadium.

Never before has a national team been catered to as this one has. The players have been based at Warwick Camp for a week now and right now they should be ready to go.

Goalkeeper Dwayne Adams arrives today as the final piece of what is hoped will be a successful opening against a country, who have reached where Bermuda want to go.

El Salvador immediately present Bermuda with what could be their stiffest home challenge. They will probably be the only side who can match us in the skills department, so our guys will have to dig deeper and the crowd will play an important factor.

Either way, Monday morning should certainly live up to being Hangover Day. And then it is only a few more days until Jamaica come to play and the Gold Cup finals are being contested in Hamilton Harbour.

Isn't sport great? TIM CONLEY -- Golf ace.