challenge when Jack Wahl opens the defence of his Bermuda Amateur Stroke Play title tomorrow at Port Royal Golf Club.

A record field of 108 (90 men and 18 women) will take part in the holiday weekend tournament with the men playing 72 holes and the women, who begin on Saturday, competing over 54 holes.

Vallis and Kiley, one of 12 players here from overseas, were winners of this tournament in 1991 and '89 while Horne was a three-time amateur match play winner in the 1980s. Kiley's four-round total of 291 equalled the record for the tournament.

The men's winner could come from a number of competitors, one of whom could be Bermudian Hav Trott, who has returned home after a long time residing in Britain and presumably intending to pick up where he left off in the days when he won both Bermuda amateur and Belmont Invitational titles.

And while Wahl admits his game is not at its best he does not intend to give up his title without a fight.

"This has been one of my poorest years, my game is not in good shape,'' said Wahl who also won the title in 1990. I can't hit crisp irons and can't get them up to the stick.

"I'm putting and chipping reasonably well and my long game is fine. I haven't played Port Royal in a long time but I'm playing it tomorrow (today) with Dick Horne.'' The champion said the field looks a very strong one this year and he includes the names of Noel Van Putten, Max Atherden and Hank Ascento as three others who could make a strong challenge. "The level of golf has rose markedly in the last few years,'' said Wahl.

Also expected to make a strong challenge is Mike Moraghan of Virginia who, along with Trott, is a two-handicapper. Last year's runner-up Glenn Simmons, will be missing but this will be a good opportunity for promising youngsters Chris Garland and Duncan Zelkin to shine.

Zelkin is already on a college scholarship while Garland, soon to be a Saltus graduate, has been offered a golf scholarship at Columbia College in Columbus, Georgia.

While the pair might have to wait a while longer to win a senior title, that has not been the case in the women's division where another exciting teenager, Kim Marshall, is already winning major tournaments.

Marshall, who just completed her freshman year at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, is the defending champion and will start as hot favourite in a field of 18.

She expects strong competition from the likes of last year's runner-up Judithann Astwood, whom she beat by three strokes, Madeline Joell and fellow youngster Alisa Hardy. Alison Gibbs is the lone visiting female in the tournament.

"There are some good players I'm going to have to beat,'' Marshall, 18, said.

"I hear Judithanne is playing very well but I'm not sure how Alisa's playing.

I don't think it's going to be easy.'' Marshall said there has been some improvement to her game in the year she spent at Wake Forest and she will be using this tournament to prepare for the qualifying tournament at the end of July for the US Amateurs, which will take place in San Diego in early August.

"My short game, chipping and putting, has gotten a lot better,'' she added.

Unlike the previous two years when she took in a series of junior tournaments overseas that will be Marshall's only overseas venture this summer.

JACK WAHL.