Plans to bring the prestigious Merrill Lynch Shoot-out championship back to Bermuda for a third successive year and again in future years are under discussion.

And a decision could be made shortly after this year's $600,000 tournament on September 26.

At a press conference yesterday, Merrill Lynch spokesman Todd Lincoln noted how both his company and the Tour pros had given the host Mid Ocean Club a huge vote of confidence.

"Merrill Lynch are thankful for the great bunch of people at Mid Ocean and we hope to come back for many years to come,'' said Lincoln. "That's something we'll be discussing at this year's Shoot-out and we'll see how things work out for the future.'' Noting that the Bermuda Government had invested more than half a million dollars promoting the tournament, new Tourism Minister David Dodwell said he too was keen to see a continuation of the event locally.

"Certainly we intend to review it,'' said Dodwell. "We shouldn't lose sight of the value of two hours of prime TV on ABC and the exposure Bermuda gets.

The footage was not only of golf but last year it was substantial of Bermuda in general. It's an important point to recognise when looking at our contribution.'' Stressing the benefits to Tourism, Dodwell explained that Government's $500,000-plus contribution went towards prize-money, hospitality, transportation, security and marketing, as well as other items.

This year's tournament, to be aired in a two-hour ABC Sports Special on November 5, again brings to the Island 10 of the world's top golfers including defending champion Corey Pavin, winner of this year's US Open, and 1995 Masters champion Ben Crenshaw.

Both feature in the US team for next weekend's Ryder Cup against Europe at Oak Hills in Rochester, New York along with two others in the Shoot-out field, Curtis Strange and Peter Jacobsen. All four will be flown by private jet to Bermuda at the conclusion of the Ryder Cup next Sunday night.

The remaining six players -- Payne Stewart, Brett Ogle, Woody Austin, Kenny Perry, Scott Hoch and Craig Stadler -- will arrive at various times over the weekend.

Both Ogle and Austin, according to tournament chairman Michael Dunkley, have agreed to conduct a junior clinic at Mid Ocean on the Sunday morning.

Of the 10 Tour pros who competed at Mid Ocean last year, six are returning, and according to Lincoln many of the world's leading players would have "jumped'' at an invitation.

"I was constantly asked how Merrill Lynch were going about putting out the invitations,'' said Lincoln. "There were so many players who wanted to come -- especially those who didn't play last year.

"For instance Curtis Strange and Payne Stewart were literally on the phone after they saw last year's telecast.'' Merrill Lynch invited seven players to this year's final while three -- Perry, Austin and Hoch -- qualified during the season-long Shoot-out series.

Such is the line-up this year, Mid Ocean president Ford Hutchings said he "wouldn't be surprised to see a gallery of six or seven thousand.'' "Much depends on the weather, but in Bermuda we seldom get the chance to see a field of golfers like this. I think people will go out of their way to get to the Shoot-out,'' said Hutchings.

Merrill Lynch's 10-year sponsorship contract expires next year, but Lincoln said it was highly likely they would continue their association with both the PGA and Senior PGA Tours.

"Those decisions will be made before Thanksgiving, between October and November. But I don't think there's any reason to doubt that Merrill Lynch will be back post-1996 at least for another three years.'' CURTIS STRANGE -- expressed an interest in competing in this year's Shoot-out championship at Mid-Ocean after watching last year's event on TV.