Golf's hottest property, Tiger Woods, is being pursued by organisers of next month's Merrill Lynch Shoot-out to be played at Mid Ocean Club.

The former Stanford University star has become one of the biggest draw cards on the PGA Tour having turning pro immediately after clinching his third successive US Amateur crown last month.

And tournament organisers are eager to have him in their ten-strong field for the October 15 championship.

But the big-hitting 20-year-old remains a long shot for the event as he chases a permanent place on the Tour by competing in as many of the remaining PGA tournaments this year as possible.

Woods, who placed 11th in the just completed Canadian Open, needs to finish the year on the top 125 money-winners' list in order to earn his Tour card and avoid the rigours of qualifying school.

And that, according to Shoot-out coordinator Larry Sanford, makes him an unlikely candidate for the Bermuda event.

However, Sanford said the door was being left open should Woods find a hole in his schedule.

"Obviously he's somebody we'd love to have in the field, and don't think we haven't been trying,'' said Sanford from his New Jersey office yesterday.

"In fact, we got our oar in that water very quickly. Even before Tiger announced he was turning pro we contacted his agent to find out the possibilities.

"As I speak now it remains unlikely he will come. But it's not 100 percent ruled out. Should he win an event over the next few weeks, everything could change.

"Tiger's actually playing in the Shoot-out this week (at the Quad City Classic in Coal Valley, Illinois) and we'll be talking to his agent again.'' Meanwhile, another big-name on the Shoot-out wanted list is former British Open and PGA champion Nick Price, who spent some time house-hunting on the Island last year.

Sanford said he was hoping to receive an answer from the Zimbabwean by the end of the week.

Only seven of ten names have so far been confirmed for the end-of-season championship, and among those to have rejected invitations in the last week are 1994 winner Corey Pavin, who also played in Bermuda last year, and Ben Crenshaw, who like Pavin has played in both Bermuda events.

This year's British Open champion Tom Lehman, leading Tour money-winner Phil Mickelson and Davis Love have likewise declined sponsors' exemptions because of other commitments.

Texan Crenshaw, who lists the Charles Blair Macdonald Mid Ocean course as one of his favourites, had again wanted to return but this year's event clashed with a golf media-day appearance in his home state.

Another favourite, Peter Jacobsen, was also approached by Merrill Lynch but declined the offer.

Currently on stand-by is Australian Brett Ogle, who has played the last two years, while Billy Andrade, who will take part in the Bermuda Open which begins the day after the Shoot-out, has been named as first alternate and will play in the October 14 Pro-Am.

Shoot-out definites to date are defending champion Curtis Strange, Payne Stewart, Paul Azinger, Craig Stadler, Scott Hoch, Woody Austin and Jim Furyk.

All but Azinger and Furyk have played previously at Mid Ocean.

EYE OF THE TIGER -- Is Tiger Woods coming to Bermuda? Organisers of next month's Merrill Lynch Shootout are trying to persuade the 20-year-old phenom into joining the ten-man field.