FIFTY ONE years on, and still going strong.

The Bermuda Goodwill Tournament tees off again next week, seemingly just as appealing as it was during the tourism boom of the 1970s and '80s.

Close to 100 teams ? 96 to be exact ? will descend on Port Royal, Mid Ocean Club, Tucker's Point and Belmont Hills on four of five days, among them many of the same faces who have made the event the most popular of all local tournaments open to overseas golfers.

Alex Madeiros, who will run the competition from his new office at Riddell's Bay, where he took up residence following a surprise switch from Belmont Hills last month, believes the Goodwill has all but turned the corner having suffered something of a slump towards the end of the century.

The demise of the Belmont Invitational, an event in which many of the overseas players competed during the week prior to the Goodwill, the general downturn in tourism, and the retirement of long-time organiser Muriel Parker left a huge question mark over the future of the Goodwill just a few years ago.

But Madeiros, with the help of some fellow local professionals and substantial backing from the Department of Tourism, appears to have turned things around.

Entries this year are up by six on a year ago and by 16 on 2001.

When the event rolls around again in December, 2004, Madeiros is confident the magical 100 barrier will again be broken.

"We're going to hit that target of 100 for sure. Maybe not this year, but we'll get there," said Madeiros, who has orchestrated a number of changes to the week-long event.

Those include the scrapping of the one-day professional championship, replaced by a four-round stableford event for the pros incorporated within the pro-am format. Fourteen thousand dollars will be up for grabs among the junior professionals and another $7,000 for the senior pros (over 65).

"What we discovered was that many of those flying in wanted a day to themselves to see the Island," explained Madeiros. "That wasn't possible if they were playing on all five days."

Another change has opened the door for local clubs to field more than one team.

And this year both Belmont Hills and Tucker's Point will take advantage with an 'A' and 'B' entry.

Belmont pro Brian Morris will lead the 'A' quartet of Howard Cutts, Arthur Lindo and Gary Edwards, and Darren Swan the 'B' team of Kevin Petty, Bill Old and Gary Burgess. Kevin Benevides and Andrew Trott will skipper the respective 'A' and 'B' teams of Tucker's Point although neither team was posted on the Goodwill website earlier this week.

Elsewhere, Frankie Rabain heads the Port Royal team of Adam Wong, Gray Eastaugh and Joe Roberts; Rawn Rabain takes charge of the St. George's team of Daniel Scott, William Tucker and Lionel Paynter; Scott Roy leads the Southampton Princess team of David Fisher, Max Abend and Levy Rodrigues; amateur Hav Trott captains the Riddell's Bay team of Lionel Turner, Reginald Burrows and Eric Robinson; and Chris Marshall and Dwayne Pearman lead the respective teams from Mid Ocean Club and Ocean View, neither of which were confirmed earlier this week.

Net champions a year ago, St. Charles Country Club from Winnipeg in Canada are back to defend their crown . . . but with new professional Cory Kartusch after last year's triumphant skipper Mike Sherman moved over to the Rosedale club.

Goodwill activities get underway this Saturday with a demonstration by trick shot artist Peter Longo at Port Royal (10 a.m.) followed by a junior clinic.

And on Sunday, $5,000 will be at stake for the pros in a par three challenge at Southampton Princess with other prizes on offer for the amateurs. That event starts at 12 noon.

Play in the main tournament begins at all four courses on Monday, continuing on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with the banquet and prize presentation taking place at the Hamilton Princess on Friday evening.