Ten Bermudian women begin the Island's defence of the net championship in the annual Kitty Michael Golf Tournament today in Puerto Rico.

The team will be aiming to retain the title which they claimed for the fourth time last year and veteran player and captain Shirley James thinks they stand a strong chance of achieving their goal.

"I feel we have a good, balanced team," said James, adding that, apart from last year, Bermuda won the net championship in 1981, 1985 and 1995.

In addition, the Bermudian women have been runners-up in the net division on several occasions and have excelled in the gross competition too.

There are also individual prizes and last year, Katyna Rabain, tied for the individual low net score.

"Bermuda usually comes home with something," noted James who will be playing her 20th consecutive tournament.

Team-mate Bea Williams will be representing the Island for the 22nd time while, on the other end of the spectrum, Lisa Lines is the sole newcomer to the squad for the week-long event.

The tournament, which this year includes teams from Guadeloupe, St.Croix, Jamaica, the Bahamas, New Jersey, Canada and Puerto Rico, was started 25 years ago by the late Kitty Michael, an American living in Puerto Rico.