The prize fund for this week’s Bermuda Open has been slashed to a mere $10,000.Tough economic times have hit the tournament hard and the money on offer pales in comparison to last year, when there was a purse of $50,000 and Jerry Bruner walked away with a $20,000 winner’s cheque.Even runner-up Brennan Webb took home $10,000, but if the American goes one better this time around he’ll pick up just $5,000.Webb is one of only 11 professionals competing this week, with six coming from America and five from Bermuda. Overall 88 golfers have signed up to take part in the event, which has rolled three tournaments into one.Alongside the Open there will be the Amateur Stroke Play Championships and Seniors Championship played over the four days, with the tournament beginning tomorrow and ending on Sunday.Given the size of the field, the likes of local professionals Dwayne Pearman, Daniel Augustus, Nick Jones and Scott Roy should all fancy their chances of finishing in the money.Pearman and Augustus have both won several times on the Jack Daniels Tour this year, and are also playing on their home course. Jones meanwhile has been performing well on several mini-tours in Florida, while Roy is always there or thereabouts.Webb though will be the man to beat, especially after his epic battle with Bruner last year when the only thing that separated them was a missed two-foot putt on the final hole.Jarryd Dillas meanwhile should start as favourite in the men’s amateur division, especially as defending champion Terence Daniels, who beat Dillas into second place by six shots last year, is not playing this week.With Nick Mansell and Camiko Smith also missing from the field, the biggest local challenge is likely to come from the Island Games trio of Damian Palanyandi, Ryan Benevides and Alex Osborne.However, there are also four unknown overseas amateurs in the mix, including father and son duo, Baldonick Fernandez Sr and Baldonick Fernandez Jr.Ladies stroke play champion Katrin Burnie is back to defend her title, and is likely to be pushed all the way by Island Games team-mate Ebonie Burgess.The seniors event will be played over three rounds starting on Friday, with Hav Trott back to defend his men’s title, while there will be a new senior ladies champion, with Kathy-Lloyd Hines not defending her crown.