ENTRIES are down and prize-money has been slashed. But there's still an air of optimism surrounding what should be the Island's premier golf tournament, the Bermuda Open, which tees off at Port Royal next week.

Earlier this week, with the entry deadline expired, just 65 players had put their names forward for the 72-hole championship - that's 15 less than last year and more than 40 below what the event can accommodate.

But the good news was that the majority of those registered were overseas professionals - an encouraging sign that this year's reduced purse of between $35,000 and $45,000 wasn't serving as a deterrent.

And as Bermuda Golf Association secretary Mike Branco emphasised, he would be accepting any late entries that came along.

A cloud has hung over the Open ever since former winner Kim Swan criticised the $60,000 purse which was up for grabs last year, pointing out that the tournament badly needed a six figure sum in order to lure a more competitive field.

According to BGA president Bob Legere it was those comments which led to XL Capital withdrawing their $20,000 share of the current sponsorship.

And while a fund-raising tournament last month may have helped compensate for some of the shortfall, Legere has indicated the BGA would not be able to match last year's $60,000 prize-money.

But while Swan and Legere were slugging it out in the daily last week, interest in the annual event remained high on the east coast of the US, from where the Open traditionally draws most of its club professionals.

Names like Tim Conley, a former Open winner who has perhaps been the most successful pro in Bermuda tournaments over the last 20 years, former PGA Tour players Mike Donald and P.H.Horgan and regulars such as Craig Marseille, Ian Doig, Tom Jaeger, Ed Kirby and Rick Sovereign are all on the entry list.

Joining them will be Brian Quinn, this year's Massachusetts state champion, Fred Whitfield, a member of the European Seniors Tour, leading French Canadian player Sylvan LeBlanc, London professional Andrew Brooks, and Texan pro John Denny who, according to information provided to Branco, is the grandson of former Bermuda Government leader Sir Henry Tucker.

Making a late withdrawal this week was British Walker Cup player Oliver Wilson who had intended to make his professional debut at next week's Open. He was reportedly forced to pull out because of a conflicting engagement.

But while the overseas interest has been high, that shown by the local pros has been barely lukewarm.

Defending champion Dwayne Pearman, competing this weekend at the Nations Cup in Mexico with fellow Island pro Michael Sims, will return in time to tee it up at Port Royal on Thursday morning.

But Sims will head back to the US where he takes another shot at PGA Tour Qualifying School.

Of those pros on the Island, Andrew Trott, Frankie Rabain and Brian Morris are among just a handful who have entered.

There is a place in the field, however, for Mark Phillips who, at the age of 13, is believed to be the youngest player ever to have taken part in the Open.

With a handicap index of 4.9, the Ocean View youngster's entry was officially accepted by Branco earlier this week.

"He could be the youngest as far as I know, but we don't keep those kind of records," said the secretary.

"There's nothing about age in the regulations that says he can't play. His handicap certainly meets the requirements."

Phillips played earlier this year in the Bermuda Amateur Strokeplay Championships when he was also the youngest entrant.