The absence of last year's second and third-placed teams, Dennis Connors and Dan Rourke and Ken Kinkopf and Mike Kelley of the United States, has cleared the way for a third straight triumph by Henry Ascento and Bill Pitt in the Bermuda Four Ball Championships at Port Royal.

The 72-hole tournament begins today with 36 pairings and Ascento and Pitt, the winners in the last two years, are already installed as firm favourites. The two Bermudians beat Connors and Rourke by just one stroke last year after leading from the first day, while Kinkopf and Kelley were a further three strokes back.

"We're just going to go out there and do the best we can,'' said Pitt yesterday while playing down the suggestion that it might be easy for the champions.

"Golf's a funny game, you need the breaks and you just have to be patient.

I've had a lot of business on my plate and haven't been putting a lot into my game but I'm playing pretty consistent.

"Since it's a two-ball event we both feed off one another and that should make it a lot easier for both of us.'' Last year, Ascento and Pitt took a one-stroke lead after the opening round before stretching the lead to three strokes the next day after a blistering five-under-par 66. Connors and Rourke cut the lead to one stroke with two rounds of 69 on the weekend.

"We'll be trying to get a good start in this event and we feel that's the key,'' said Pitt. "In the first two days you just need to post good numbers and see what happens for the weekend.

"I looked into today's paper (golf times) and didn't see Connors and Rourke, which I was surprised at, because I had spoken to Rourke earlier in the year and he did say they were coming back. They have been coming for a few years.'' Pitt still thinks he and Ascento will have a tough time attempting the `three-peat', if only by what he saw in last year's repeat.

"No tournament is easy, you just have to go out there, stay focussed and put your best foot forward,'' he said. "The key is making putts.'' Pitt and Ascento have been playing together in this tournament for several years, picking up their first victory in 1993. Their contrasting styles work, says Pitt who rates this as one of his favourite tournaments.

"Henry is more consistent than I am, but we work good as a team in this sort of event,'' he admitted.

"I'm a little more aggressive but I've found out over the years that I make most of the birdies but he holds the fort in place with par because sometimes I go a little wacky. He's always there to hold it until I get it back together.'' The women's 54-hole event begins tomorrow, also at Port Royal. Alisa Hardy and Madeline Joell are the defending champions, having beaten Valerie Nearon and Winnie DeSilva by a massive 23 strokes last year.

It could not be determined if Hardy and Joell will be together this year as Joell has no doubt been concentrating her efforts on Monday's General Election when she will be a candidate for the United Bermuda Party.