far as Gillette Tour organisers are concerned.. .they still want to bring golf's most exciting player to Bermuda for their Tour Challenge Championship in October.

Not even the prospect of handling much bigger crowds than those that attended the Merrill Lynch Shoot-out over the past three years will deter tournament hosts Mid Ocean Club who say they still have the 21-year-old star on top of their priority list.

"Tiger's been actively pursued but winning The Masters shouldn't change how we're pursuing him'', said Mid Ocean Club vice-president Michael Dunkley.

"He's been pursued since it was agreed the tournament was coming to Bermuda.'' Approaches to the players are being made through the PGA Tour and recent indications, said Dunkley, were that Woods was still interested in playing here.

"About 10 days ago he seemed very interested in coming to Bermuda and it's just a matter of what we can work out,'' said Dunkley. "The Tour personnel see them (players) on a weekly basis and they invite them to go to places.

"The Tour is working on our behalf. Obviously the players can pick, choose and refuse, so to speak, but Tiger Woods was the number one priority for us and Fred Couples was number two, so we are pushing on those two.'' Just three weeks ago Dunkley, together with Steve Horner, business development manager for the PGA Tour, Jim Lamie, director of sports and event marketing for the North American Division of the Gillette Company and Bermuda Tourism Minister David Dodwell, announced that the Gillette tournament would replace the Shoot-out.

The event will involve eight top players from each of the three US tours -- PGA, LPGA and Senior PGA. Several players will be invited to the $1.8 million event which sees $450,000 going to the winning team.

Dodwell said then that he was excited about the "national media coverage a tournament of this magnitude will offer the Island''. The presence of Woods would elevate the tournament to even great heights, making it one of the most eagerly anticipated sporting events ever held in Bermuda.

Woods, Dunkley noted, was just one one of several big name players who the organisers hoped to attract.

"On the ladies side there is Laura Davies and Nancy Lopes while Annika Sorenstam has already agreed to come and she is probably the top female player in the world right now,'' said Dunkley.

Even with bigger galleries than those that watched the Shoot-out, Mid Ocean Club has no fears over crowd control.

"The Merrill Lynch went smoothly,'' Dunkley stressed. "In Bermuda you don't have to worry about security. Bermudians, with their personalities, are very good and that's why they (players) enjoy coming down here.

"We would like to make the crowd that much larger. We anticipate no problems in dealing with the people and at the same time giving the people the opportunity to see first hand the golf.

"We really want a big crowd and we want the people to enjoy it. Tiger goes everywhere with security guards to keep people off him but those guys will probably find Bermuda a joy to come to because they won't have to worry about that.'' Unlike the Shoot-out, which involved 10 top players competing over nine selective holes, the Gillette Tour Challenge Championship will involve all 18 holes in a one-day team event. Each team will consist of one PGA Tour, one Senior PGA Tour and one LPGA Tour player.

"I expect to be able to come back in the next two weeks or so and give you an announcement on some players,'' said Dunkley.

"Annika Sorenstam is the only one definitely confirmed but there are some players who are very close to confirming and I would hope that in two weeks I can come back and tell you who we've got.

"The PGA Tour officials have been very good in doing what they can for Gillette, and Bermuda as well, so I feel we'll have a great field.'' BERMUDA BOUND? -- Golf sensation Tiger Woods tops the organisers' wanted list for October's inaugural Tour Challenge Championship at Mid Ocean Club.