A year after brushing aside the challenge of perennial visitor and former champion Tim Conley to win a weather-shortened Bermuda Open, 27-year-old Canadian Bill Walsh Jr. returns this week to defend his title.

The four-day $60,000 championship gets underway at Port Royal today with a full field of more than 70 players, amateur and pro.

And while Walsh and former winner Conley are again expected to feature prominently on the leaderboard, top local Dwayne Pearman and a host of other pros from the United States, Canada and England will be chasing the $12,000 first prize.

After finishing tied for sixth last year, Pearman is looking for improvement this time around but realises it will be tough since he hasn't been particularly active at a competitive level in recent months.

However, he believes that his knowledge of the course where he was once assistant professional will help him to put in a serious challenge.

“I haven't been playing a lot of tournament golf, but my game is not bad. All I can say for the moment is that I hope to do my best and consequently be competitive,” said the top local player who won the Open back in 1988 and who has consistently been among the top ten finishers over the years.

“I haven't played at Port Royal much this year, but if I am hitting the ball good then I expect to do well up there,” he added. “Last year's weather wasn't good, however with some improvement this week there should be some good golf played.''

Three top local amateur players will miss the Open as Tim Carr, Nick Mansell and teenager Jarryd Dillas make up the team that travels this weekend to the World Amateur Team Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

However, there will be a number of familiar faces in the field including Doug Dalziel, who worked as a club professional at Riddell's Bay back in the 1950s, and Brit Bill Longmuir, a former European Tour player, who once held the record for the lowest first round shot in a British Open.

Also entered are veteran US tour players, American Mike Donald and Canadian Dan Halldorson as well as American Patrick Horgan who went on to play on the tour after winning the Bermuda Open in the 1980s.

The full field is a follows:

Overseas professionals - Bob Walsh Jr. (Can), Jim Baker (US), Andrew Brooks (UK), Monte Chittum (US), Tim Conley (US), Doug Dalziel (US), Jon Denney (US), Ian Doig (Can), Jay Dolan (US), Mike Donald (US), Gordon Goldie (UK), Tiki Hadjiannou (UK), Dan Halldorson (Can), Bill Harris (US), Jerry Hinds (Can), Dennis Hendershott (Can), Chris Hooper (US), Patrick Horgan III (US), Tom Jaeger (US), Allan Jarrett (UK), T.R.Jones (US), Danny King (Can), Geoff King (UK), Ed Kirby (US), Bill Longmuir (UK), Craig Marseilles (Can), Bill MacKenzie (Can), Chimo McLean (Can), Danny Mijovic (Can), Bob Moro (US), Kevin Morris (US), Tom O'Connor (US), Al Patterson (Can), Bruce Rogerson (Can), Phil Rusnack (US), Keir Smith (Can), Rick Sovereign (Can).

Overseas amateurs - David Buker (Can), Bill Cosgrove (US), Terry Crawley (UK), Keith De Vantier (US), Peter Donald (US), Chris Hurst (UK), Dan Siegel (US), Walter Smith (Bahamas), Craig Stevens (US), Jim Surber (US), Michael Turano (US), Bob Walton (US).

Local professionals - Dwayne Pearman, Andrew Bissell, Derrick Douglas, David James, Lloyd James, Eardley Jones, Danny Johnson, Chris Marshall, Bobby McRonald, Herbie Minors, Norman Minors, Frankie Rabain, Keith Smith, Twilton Smith, Clevie Tucker.

Local amateurs - Dave Allison, Colin Anderson, Henry Barrie, Millard Beach, Gary Carr, Vance Campbell, Adrian Crockwell, Zane Desilva, Sergio Edness, Joey McRonald, Douglas Morris, Richard Neame, Eldon Raynor, Quinton Sherlock Sr., Graham Strange.