Bermuda Open Golf Championship will be greatly disappointed.

Bermuda Golf Association secretary Tom Smith confirmed yesterday that there was no more space for the 72-hole event, which has attracted a record 48 professionals from overseas along with 21 visiting amateurs. Anyone planning to make a last-minute application will be told that they will have to go on a waiting list.

"We're all filled up, we haven't got any more space,'' said Smith yesterday.

"Forty-eight visiting professionals is absolutely fantastic.'' Last year a record 36 professionals competed, which was then the biggest-ever field of visiting pros. This year the response has been fantastic, just a year after the event was without a major sponsor following the withdrawal of Chateau Elan two years ago.

The new sponsors are Mutual Risk Management and Exel Limited who will be fully pleased with the quality field, which includes 33 local amateurs and nine local professionals.

Last year there were 65 locals, but the recent World Amateur Team Championships in Vancouver, Canada, has left two of Bermuda's top amateurs, Glen Simmons and Robert Vallis, unavailable because of work commitments. Only Jack Wahl from that team has entered, though Vallis was in but then pulled out.

The total prize money has increased from $32,500 last year to $35,000 with $8,600 going to the winner. There will also be $2,500 in prize money for the Pro-Am next Wednesday.

Amongst the field of 111, which was expected to swell to a maximum 114 last night are eight players -- four local and four visitors -- who have won the event before. Included in that elite group are defending champion Ron McDougal of New York who confirmed his participation on Tuesday, 1990 winner and runner-up last year Tim Balmer, 1989 champion Bob Mucha and Tim Conley who won in 1987.

The past local winners include Frankie Rabain, Eardley Jones, Kim Swan and Dwayne Pearman. Swan, the recent winner of the inaugural Johnnie Walker Black Label Classic at Ocean View, and Pearman whose triumph in the Bermuda Open in 1988 was the last for a Bermudian, are two of Bermuda's leading contenders -- especially with Scott Mayne and Florida-based Anthony Mocklow not entered.

Briton Jonathan Marks, a well-known Englishman from Woodbridge Golf Club, will be one of the favourites for the amateur title. Other amateurs from overseas include Peter Lesley, a one-handicapper from Pennsylvania, Sammy Levinson of Greenville, Kentucky, Harold Kirkpatrick, a senior player from Florida, Scott Randolph from the Chateau Elan Golf Club and Percy Vince from Ireland.

Some of the visiting pros include Ed Kirby, Mike Stubblefield, Francois Blambert from the club in Quebec where a Bermuda women's team recently competed and big-hitter Kelly Murray from Vancouver who will likely put on a demonstration. There are also two Bahamas-based professionals in Vernon Lockhart and Glenn Pratt who recently moved there from Detroit, and Brian Schindler, the Maine State PGA champion.

The other local professionals include Lloyd James and Cornell Bean while the Port Royal trio of Max Atherden, Bill Pitt and Henry Ascento are amongst the amateurs along with promising junior Chris Garland.

The tournament runs from next Thursday to Sunday at Port Royal GC.