the Gillette Tour Challenge continue to hope that golf's biggest draw will come to Bermuda in October.

Michael Dunkley, vice-president of Mid Ocean Club where the 18-hole event will be played, disclosed yesterday that there was still optimism that the 21-year-old Woods would confirm his participation in the tournament.

"We have been in touch with them (Woods' agents) and I understand he still hasn't decided what he's going to do,'' said Dunkley, who is also the Tournament Chairman.

"I expect to hear very shortly. He definitely hasn't ruled it out. He's a very busy person and everybody wants him to come.

"l know he has expressed interest, but obviously as busy as his schedule is he's got a lot that he has to weigh back and forth. Certainly I don't think he can make the decision by himself with all the contracts he's got with people.'' Woods tops the current PGA Tour money earnings for 1997 with $1,778,395.

While his participation remains up in the air, organisers are making good progress in confirming other top names from the three US tours -- PGA, Senior PGA and LPGA -- for the October 7 tournament.

Number two on Gillette's priority list from the PGA Tour behind Woods was Fred Couples who has already confirmed along with 1996 Merrill Lynch winner Craig Stadler, Nick Price and Payne Stewart.

Price is 10th on the money list with $895,945, Stadler 30th ($511,373), Couples 45th ($369,758) and Stewart 49th ($320,586).

"Obviously Tiger is the fifth person that we are chasing, with the other three to make eight coming off the Gillette weekly challenge series that they run,'' explained Dunkley.

"It is based on the points you earn so we have to take the top three off that list and it's too early to say who it's going to be.

"We have locked in four and we're keeping the fifth spot for Tiger. The other three will automatically earn their spot and it looks like it will be people like Brad Faxon, Mark Brooks and Scott Hoch who are currently top of the list.'' Confirmed from the Senior PGA Tour are top money earner Hale Irwin ($1,489,561), Jay Sigel, Lee Trevino, Bob Murphy, Walter Morgan and Australian Graham Marsh. Jim Colbert has been invited but may be doubtful after a recent bout with prostate cancer.

"He's had his treatment, his invitation is still there and it's up to him whether he can play or not,'' explained Dunkley. "If that happens then we have one spot left and it appears that somebody like Dave Stockton will take that.'' The LPGA will also qualify three from their money list but already confirmed are Sweden's Annika Sorenstam, who leads the money list with $849,681 in earnings, Nancy Lopez and Sally Little. That leaves five more women to be picked.

"With the ladies side, hopefully in the next couple of weeks we'll have that firmed up,'' said Dunkley.

The format for the tournament will be eight teams of three -- one from each tour -- and the make-up of the teams won't be revealed until the day before when a blind draw is held.

"They are all PGA and LPGA pros, so we will have a great field one way or the other,'' said a confident Dunkley.

"On the senior side you talk about having Hale Irwin and Lee Trevino, one of the all-time greats, Walter Morgan and Jay Sigel, perhaps the finest amateur golfer ever until he turned pro.

"On the ladies side there is Nancy Lopez who will probably be in the Hall of Fame and Sorenstam who wins just about every tournament she enters, so it's a great field.'' In terms of crowds it is expected that they will exceed those that filled the course for the three years the Merrill Lynch was staged here. This time there will be an admission fee but the $25 ticket price is considered by Dunkley as "quite a bargain''.

"Anybody who can take the time off to come down and watch will see some great golf, expecially in the format that they are playing,'' Dunkley promised.

"The course will be set up so that no one player is at an advantage over another.'' "I think it will be in impeccable condition and will be a joy for the guys and ladies to play on. I would think we'll be looking at 10-12,000 people for the day, which is not unrealistic for Bermuda, the interest in the golf and the quality of the field.''