Aspiring Premier Ewart Brown has insisted he did not exaggerate the probability of the Grand Slam of Golf coming to Bermuda next year ? an accusation levelled at him this week by Michael Dunkley.

He then accused the Opposition Deputy Leader of attempting to turn an issue which could have ?enormously positive ramifications? for the Island into an exercise in political point scoring.

Only 24 hours before revealing his intention to challenge Alex Scott for the leadership of the PLP last week, the former Tourism Minister announced at a press conference that they ?were in the final stages of negotiations? with the United States Professional Golf Association (USPGA) to bring the 36-hole made-for-television showdown to the Island, which would be played at the Mid Ocean Club in November next year.

In response, Dunkley ? a former Mid Ocean president ? accused Brown of ?political grandstanding? by prematurely unveiling the new initiative merely to garner headlines ahead of the more important announcement the following day.

The UBP politician said he welcomed attempts to bring the event to Bermuda, but was highly suspicious of the announcement?s timing and believed Brown had ?jumped the gun? merely to suit his political needs.

And since last week, the USPGA have refused to comment on the matter, current event hosts Hawaii have made it known that they wish to keep hold of the event for another year and Mid Ocean vice-president David Ezekiel has said the likelihood of clinching the deal is ?far from a certain?.

However, Brown said yesterday he had been assured by the Department?s sports tourism consultant Roddy Carr ? who works for sports management giant IMG and is the man behind the two-year-old mission to bring a major golf event to Bermuda ? that negotiations were progressing to a positive conclusion.

The announcement formed part of his ?normal pattern? of updating the public on things going on within the Department, he said, and had nothing to do with his leadership aspirations.

?Mr. Dunkley is entitled to his opinion ? but all I was interested in when I was the Minister was informing the public of the work we had been doing,? he said.

?I agree with Mr. Ezekiel in the sense that it is not a done deal. The contract has not yet been signed ? that?s true. Now if I was still working in the Department I would be able to give you the complete and up-to-date information, but as far as I am concerned and through my conversations with Roddy Carr, I?m certain it?s all-but sealed.

?Most people know that for two years I have been trying to attract a major golf tournament to the Island and now we are very close to doing just that.

?In Bermuda we sometimes try and strangle good ideas in their infancy and I sincerely hope that this will not be the case in this instance.?

The Grand Slam of Golf is a two-round strokeplay competition between the winners of the Open, the US Open, the Masters and the PGA Championship.

The 2006 tournament is due to take place in Hawaii next month, with the dates for next year set for October 16 and 17.