as the countdown continued towards next Tuesday's $600,000 Merrill Lynch Shoot-out to be held at Mid Ocean Club for the third successive year.

Payne Stewart, Paul Azinger and Jim Furyk were the first of the star-studded 10-man field to arrive, and they'll be joined over the weekend by defending champion Curtis Strange, Scott Hoch, Craig Stadler, Kenny Perry and John Cook.

1994 winner Corey Pavin and Woody Austin, who round out the field, as well as alternate Billy Andrade, aren't expected in until Monday as all three are playing in this weekend's PGA Texas Open.

While the golfers won't actually play competitively until Monday afternoon's Pro-Am, which follows a $40,000 closest-to-the-pin contest at Mid Ocean's par three 17th, local coordinator Michael Dunkley is hoping that at least two of the stars will take part in a junior clinic on Sunday morning.

Azinger and Furyk have reportedly agreed to work with the youngsters during a session at Mid Ocean.

Meanwhile, most will likely take the opportunity to play a practice round at Mid Ocean this weekend, particularly Azinger, Cook and Furyk who are the only three who haven't visited Bermuda for the Shoot-out over the past two years.

According to Dunkley, chairman of golf at Mid Ocean, the Tucker's Town course is in "as good as, perhaps even better, shape than it was for the tournament last year and in 1994.'' "The rain came just at the right time,'' said Dunkley. "I think by Tuesday the course will be at its absolute best.'' This year's all-American field is one of the strongest gathered for a shoot-out final with seven of the 10 players among the 1996 top 50 PGA Tour money winners.

Hoch leads the parade, having banked almost a million dollars this year ($958,000), placing him eighth on the list. Perry has $781,000 (15th), closely followed by Pavin with $769,000.

Hoch, Pavin, Stadler, Cook (twice) and Furyk have all won PGA Tour events in 1996.

PAYNE STEWART -- among the first to fly in for next Tuesday's $600,000 Merrill Lynch Shoot-out championship.