First the bad news about this year's Gillette Tour Challenge: Tiger Woods will not be playing. And Fred Couples has had to pull out of the September 29 event due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict. He is getting married. But the good news: the all-star line-up is as strong as ever with Lee Janzen returning fresh after his 1998 US Open win. And to make the $1.8 million prize-money event even more tempting, organisers have waived last year's $25 admission fee. "We're having free admission to see a world class sporting event,'' vice-president of the Mid-Ocean Club Michael Dunkley said yesterday. "This wouldn't happen anywhere else in the world but Bermuda.'' And with little crowd control, fans will have plenty of chances to see their favourite athletes at work. "It's an opportunity you will not get at any other sporting event,'' Dunkley pointed out. Now in its second year, the Gillette Tour Challenge brings in a total of 24 top players to create eight three-person teams. Each randomly selected team will include one player from the PGA tour, the Senior PGA Tour, and the LPGA Tour. Last year the trio of Nick Price, Jim Colbert, and Kelly Robbins had the honour of winning the first ever championship. Participants are drawn from the top money-winners from the 45-event, season-long Gillette Tour Challenge series, the top money winners from each tour, and sponsor invitees. With the vacant spot left by Couples, seven PGA tour slots have been confirmed. Returning top Tour professionals Scott Hoch, Lee Janzen, Nick Price, and Payne Stewart will be joined by first-timers to Bermuda Billy Andrade, John Daly, and Robert Gomez. From the Senior PGA Tour division Lee Trevino, Jay Sigel, Walter Morgan, Gil Morgan, Hale Irwin, and Jim Colbert will be back for repeat performances. And Hugh Baiocchi and Hubert Green will complete the eight man roster. In the LPGA only three ladies were confirmed at press time. Newcomer Laura Davies will accompany last year's Kelly Robbins and Michelle McGann. And Gillette Tour organisers said Donna Andrews, Chris Johnson, Rosie Jones, Lorie Kane, Meg Mallon, Liselotte Neumann and golf sensation Se Ri Pak are all in the running for the final five spots. For a little added excitement, five lucky people will fight for the chance to make a $2 million ten-foot putt in the Gillette Putting Challenge playoff on the day of the tournament. In the first year of the tournament, only Gillette Tour spectators were given the opportunity to make the big money putt. Ann Crasson, a visitor to the Island, failed to make the high-pressure shot last year. But this year, Gillette will hold month-long promotions before the event to provide more locals with chances to win. If the shot is successful, half the prize money will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation -- the official national charity of the LPGA.

Yesterday Minister of Tourism David Dodwell said the department was happy to see the event's return and would once again provide some $500,000 in support.

The entire golfing event will be broadcast on ABC on the afternoon of November 29. PHOTO YES ... MAYBE ... DEFINITELY NOT -- Nick Price (left) returns to Bermuda while Korean LPGA sensation Se Ri Pak might be on her way but Tiger Woods is out of the frame for the Gillette Tour Challenge.