with the tournament getting bigger and better after an additional $10,000 prize money was thrown into the pot.

The extra cash will go towards the tournament's inaugural seniors event and means there is now $60,000 on offer for those who master the Port Royal course.

Action runs from Thursday until Sunday and features amateurs and professionals from the United States and Europe, as well the best golfers the Island has to offer.

Tom Smith, secretary of Bermuda Golf Association, said the expansion of the tournament had been welcomed by sponsors ACE Insurance, XL Capital Ltd. and Mutual Risk Management.

"We asked the sponsors if they would be interested in donating a purse for a seniors event and they have given us an additional $10,000,'' he said.

"We have in that section 11 players -- it's the start of something which we hope will get bigger and bigger.'' Smith said the tournament as a whole featured a highly competitive field.

"PJ Cowan, who won last year, is returning to defend his crown,'' he said.

"As well as winning last year he was also runner-up in 1997 and is a member, I believe, of the Buy.com Tour.

"Last year's runner-up was Ken Green, who used to be on the PGA Tour proper and was a former winner back in 1983. He will be here too.'' Other former winners who will be gracing the greens include Mike Donald, who took the title in 1995, "local hero'' Dwayne Pearman who swept to victory in 1988 and Tim Conley, a tour player who won in 1987.

But there will no appearance from Andrew Pitts, who secured a hat-trick of victories at the event in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

"We thought he would be coming for evermore,'' said Smith. "But suddenly last year we didn't get an entry from him and we haven't heard from him since, which is a little bit disappointing.'' There are a number of players taking part in their first event on the Island.

"We have a young Dutchman coming, Stephane Lovey, who has just played in a World Championship down in Jamaica,'' Smith said. "He met Dwayne Pearman down there and Dwayne suggested he come up.

"We also have Fred Mansson from Sweden who called up out of the blue and said `Am I too late?' and I said no. He is on the Swedish Tour and also the Argentinian Tour for some reason or other.'' With the calibre of overseas opposition, Smith said he wouldn't stick his neck out and say a Bermudian may lift the trophy on Sunday evening, but he added: "Of the locals, Dwayne Pearman is obviously the favourite and is likely to be knocking on the door, certainly for some of the money.'' He added fellow Islanders, Cornell Bean and Andrew Trott -- now the professional at Southampton Princess -- may also be worth looking out for.

On the over-50s side, Smith said he expected Eardley Jones, who won the overall title in 1981, to be up with the lead group.

"He comes back every year and will be looking to pick up some dollars in the senior event certainly,'' he said.