Hundreds of golf-loving volunteers will next week play their part in helping to stage Bermuda's biggest tournament of the year.

Around 200 people will act as stewards at the Mid Ocean Club, when the Gillette Tour Challenge Championship gets underway on Tuesday.

The field of 24 of the world's top players, including big-hitting John Daly, eight-times major winner Tom Watson and American Ryder Cup winner Jim Furyk will fly to the Island over the weekend for the $1.95 million one-day tournament.

Mid Ocean Club vice president Michael Dunkley said it was important to remember the contribution of locals amidst the array of stars.

"Without such tremendous support from volunteers, we simply could not hold the event,'' said Dunkley.

"More than 200 people will be helping, some as course marshalls, helping to control the crowds and giving the golfers room to play. And the TV crews coming here need volunteers to help move their cameras and cables.'' There is a chance that two of the PGA players may even need the help of local caddies.

"I understand that Billy Andrade and Ben Bates will not be coming with their regular caddies,'' said Dunkley. "So they may be using Mid Ocean Club caddies.'' The event is scheduled to be screened by ABC across the US on Thanksgiving Sunday, November 28.

It will feature eight players from the PGA Tour, eight from the LPGA Tour and eight from the Senior Tour. Teams of three, consisting of one player from each tour, will be selected on the eve of the event.

The impressive purse, which guarantees even each player from the last-placed team $45,000, has been raised $150,000 from last year's $1.8 million.

Preceding the challenge, there will be a Pro-Am event on Monday, featuring local golfers playing with some of the stars.

Many of the visiting golfers will be playing in tournaments starting tomorrow and finishing on Sunday. Dunkley said an aircraft had been specially chartered to pick them all up and fly them to the Island.

"Logistically, it works so much better that way,'' said Dunkley. "Bermuda's not the easiest place to get to and it can be difficult for them to get to an airport to fly here straight after a tournament.'' The aircraft will need to pick players up from three different states. The PGA players will be in Pine Mountain, Georgia, contesting the Buick Challenge, while the LPGA Tour event is the New Albany Classic, in New Albany, Ohio.

Meanwhile the seniors will be playing in the Vantage Championship in Clemmons, North Carolina.

The tournament failed to lure Fred Couples and Payne Stewart, as organisers had originally hoped, but there will still be plenty of big names to attract a healthy gallery.

Five-times British Open winner Watson turned 50 this month and is eligible for the Senior Tour, but will represent the PGA Tour in Bermuda.

Furyk, in front of a TV audience of millions, held his nerve to defeat Spanish teenage sensation Sergio Garcia four and three in the tense final day of the Ryder Cup on Sunday.

The LPGA line-up is strong and six of the tour's top ten money winners this year are included, among them number one Karrie Webb.

Hale Irwin is the star attraction of the senior visitors and is the tour's top earner this year. But Dana Quigley, who won three successive Belmont Invitational titles in Bermuda between 1988 and 1990, will enjoy much local support.

"This is a huge event, not only for the Mid Ocean Club, but for Bermuda,'' added Dunkley. "We try to put Bermuda in the tourism spotlight.

"The fact it is being screened on US TV is a tremendous boost to the Island and the event is attractive to people with high disposable incomes.'' LINE-UPS PGA Tour: Jim Furyk, Billy Andrade, Tommy Armour III, John Daly, Scott Hoch, Nick Price, Jeff Sluman, Tom Watson. Alternate: Ben Bates.

Senior PGA Tour: Hugh Baiocchi, Jim Colbert, Hale Irwin, Graham Marsh, Walter Morgan, Dana Quigley, Jay Sigel, Dave Stockton. Alternate: Jim Thorpe.

LPGA Tour: Michelle McGann, Juli Inkster, Lorie Kane, Nancy Lopez, Meg Mallon, Dottie Pepper, Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb. Alternate: Sally Little.

Bermuda bound: Jim Furyk (right), seen here being congratulated by Sergio Garcia after defeating the young Spaniard in Sunday's Ryder Cup singles, will be among those flying in next week for the third annual Gillette Challenge at Mid Ocean Club.