Bermuda Four Ball golf championships which get underway this week with a maximum field of 112 players, almost 70 of them from overseas.

The 72-hole men's tournament, minus defending champions John Fitch and Norman Swenson of the USA, begins at Port Royal tomorrow with the 54-hole women's event following a day later on the same course.

Although Fitch and Swenson have decided not to return, the 30-team field still includes two other previous champion pairs, Bermudians Henry Ascento and Bill Pitt jr., who won in 1992 and Americans Dennis Connors and Dan Rourke who triumphed in 1991.

Connors and Rourke were also runners-up in '92 while Ascento, teamed with Clyde Burgess, was a runner-up last year.

Also expected to challenge this year are Barry DeCouto, who won last week's inaugural Black Masters Classic, and his partner Dave Purcell.

In the women's championship, which has attracted 26 pairs, Bermudian Judithanne Outerbridge and American Joan Connors will defend the title they won in '93 but face stiff competition from Madeline Joell and Janina Jacobs who were champions in 1990 and 1991.

Another threat will come from the North Carolina pair, Joanie Roberts, a one handicapper, and Terri Foote, who plays off three.

The tournament is the last on the Bermuda Golf Association calendar this year.