Country Club with 75 juniors signed up to play in Bermuda's biggest junior golf tournament.

Canada and England are not represented this year, and besides Bermuda the field consists of youngsters from Bahamas and USA.

The youths enjoyed a sizzling practice round yesterday at Mid Ocean, site of the Merrill Lynch Shoot-Out later this year.

"This is a beautiful course, but I wasn't too concerned about my score today, I just wanted to make it around the golf course,'' said Ken Pullin, a top contender from the US who was suffering from the heat.

Pullin, Chad Glanton, David Folds and local Chris Garland are all major contenders and favourites in the 18-21 age group, while locals David James, jr., Robbie Spurling and Michael Sims were ready to go after firing solid scores in the practice round yesterday.

American William Weil, Keno Turnquest of the Bahamas and local B.J. Payne are top contenders in the boys 13-14 age group.

The girls division is expected to be hotly contested when local golfers Jennifer Spurling, Lindsay Sims and Sarah Lindo face Kristen Pepe, an American eight handicapper.

Tomorrow the golfers play at Mid Ocean while the tourney returns to Belmont for the last round on Friday.