This week's Bermuda Open at Port Royal will be without one of the Island's top local players, with political hopeful Kim Swan yesterday confirming his retirement from competitive golf.

Swan was the winner of the Bermuda Open as an amateur when it became an international event in 1978, and also won it twice more as a professional in 1983 and '84. Now he is quitting the sport to pursue a career in politics as a candidate for the United Bermuda Party in the upcoming General Election.

But he won't be far removed from the sport as he will remain pro at St.

George's Golf Club. Indeed, Swan wants to donate a trophy in his name to be presented to the Open's top local player...his way of giving something back to the tournament and the sport which he acknowledges has been good to him. "Because of winning that tournament at 19 years old there wasn't a place abroad I couldn't go and play as Bermuda Open champion,'' said Swan proudly.

"The Bermuda Open was the key that opened the gates to the world of golf for me.

"That tournament is the vehicle for any young Bermudian and always needs to be an accessible tournament. I would like to donate a trophy in recognition of the lowest Bermudian player.

"There's no reason why that couldn't be done. The British Open, which is one of the top four tournaments in the world, recognises the lowest British player. There is a trophy for the top Bermudian amateur but not the top finisher.'' Swan insists, at the age of 41, it is time to dedicate more time to his other passion, politics.

"All my life I've loved politics, equally to golf,'' he said. "Now I can put my focus into something I enjoy doing.'' Swan said the decision was actually made last year in Jamaica during the final round of the World Cup qualifying which fell on his 40th birthday on October 4.

"I made the decision then in my mind but it didn't sink in until the beginning of this year,'' he added.

"Last year, because I was working hard politically and in golf simultaneously I had to make a choice. I felt I had a very good innings in golf, had some successes and enjoyed playing golf at the highest level competitively.'' Swan spent three years on the European Tour in the early 1980s and three years on the Canadian Tour after that as he combined his competitive career with running the facility at St. George's.

"When I took over at St. George's I went into semi-retirement because I knew I couldn't be successful in managing a golf facility and going abroad and playing,'' he explained.

Swan sold his clubs earlier this year and didn't even have a set to play with when PGA Tour star Vijay Singh visited Bermuda and invited him to play a round.

"The last game I played was with Vijay Singh before the Masters and I used his clubs,'' said Swan. "I didn't win the PGA Championships but I touched the hand of the player who did!'' Swan has been ever-present in the Bermuda Open over the last 20 years, often carrying Bermuda's hopes on his shoulders along with Dwayne Pearman who emerged later.

He did miss three years, in 1988, '89 and '90, when he boycotted the event in protest of the entry fee hikes and mandatory guidelines imposed by the tournament organisers. When the event was restructured he returned.

No local player has won the Bermuda Open since Pearman in 1988. Swan would like to see that happen again and thinks Pearman has the best chance of achieving it, although there are other promising youngsters on the horizon.

"I see Michael Sims as a rising star in Bermuda golf,'' said Swan. "I have a very high regard for his golf.'' Swan also rates two-time defending champion Andrew Pitts highly and thinks he could be difficult to stop as he seeks a third straight triumph in the four-day tournament which starts at Port Royal this Thursday.

KIM SWAN -- putting his political career before golf.