But the sheer number of absentees would appear to be the story of Bermuda's 68th annual men's amateur match play golf championships which get underway with the medal round at Mid Ocean Club this morning.

Just 48 players -- 21 from overseas and 27 locals -- are in the field of which almost three quarters -- 32 to be exact -- will earn a place in the championship flight and a shot at the title.

The tournament is generally considered among the Island's top three, and among amateurs is certainly the premier competition with entry limited to those with a handicap of eight or better.

Previous years have seen as many as 80 players compete -- last year 71 entered including 30 from abroad.

Bermuda Golf Association secretary Tom Smith was yesterday at a loss to explain the sudden decline in numbers. "To be honest, I'm not sure,'' said Smith. "Perhaps Easter being early this year has something to do with it.

We're going to be asking the players this week if another date would be more convenient.'' But the tournament has still attracted some talented golfers, not least America's Walker Cup veteran Joel Hirsch who last won the title in 1993 following victories in '82 and '83.

Chicago resident Hirsch might be considered the favourite although Bermuda's own Robert Vallis -- beaten by Hirsch four and three in the '93 final a year after he had won the title with a four and two win over Ricky Cox -- must also be considered a leading contender.

There are, however, several other scratch, one or two handicappers in the field, among them American Doug Ballenger who played on the US Walker Cup team back in 1973.

Besides more than a dozen Americans, three Scots have made the trip across the Atlantic -- Alan Anderson, Scott Foster and John Liddel -- as well as Englishman James Gibbs.

Of the local challengers, Vallis, a winner with partner Jack White in the recent Founder's Trophy at Mid Ocean, looks the best bet, although policeman Tim Carr would like nothing more to repeat his fairytale run to the final of a year ago when he was beaten four and three by Ferris, a scratch player from Norfolk, Virginia.

"We'll just have to see how it goes,'' said Carr yesterday. "To be honest I haven't been playing the courses that much, mostly hitting balls off the range. "Yes, I'd like to do well again and I'm looking forward to playing.

But even though it's a small field, there are a lot of good players.''