A popular annual golf tournament for overseas players has seen a drop in numbers for the second year in a row.

So far, 78 teams of four players have registered for the 47th Bermuda Goodwill Golf tournament -- a fall of seven teams on last year's event.

And event director Muriel Parker said the cost of airfares and lack of seat availability may be contributing factors in the decline.

Mrs. Parker said previously the week-long event attracted as many as 125 teams, but that had gradually fallen over the years.

She said there had been a few comments this year that airfares and flight schedules had put off some golfers -- many of whom bring partners and family for a vacation based around the event.

"I don't know exactly the reason,'' she said. "It is a tourist attraction during a slow period after Thanksgiving and before Christmas, and a lot of people rely upon it.

"It hurts me to know it has dropped like this. It is not the fault of the tournament, they say it is run very well.

"The old guys love it and hope to come back year after year, but when you are young money is hard to come by.'' Mrs. Parker stressed it was only supposition that the flights were to blame, but some carriers do use smaller aircraft on the Bermuda route during the off-season.

In addition, flights from Boston, Halifax, Newark, Charlotte and La Guardia are deleted during this period.

The teams come mainly from the US, with a few flying in from Canada and the UK.

Beginning on Monday, it takes place at Castle Harbour, Riddell's Bay, Mid Ocean and Port Royal courses.

In recent years the tournament has also included the Belmont Golf Course which was replaced this year by Riddell's Bay because of the uncertainty surrounding the Belmont.

Concluding on Friday, the one-day professional only tournament will take place at Port Royal on Wednesday.