Two-time champion and American Ryder Cup player Davis Love has turned down a sponsors' invitation to join the elite field for next month's Merrill Lynch Shoot-out, being hosted by Bermuda's Mid Ocean Club for the second successive year.

Love, who was eliminated at the first hole last year having won the event in 1993 in Hawaii and in 1991 in Florida, told organisers this week he would not be available.

And yesterday Merrill Lynch were still awaiting confirmation from another top PGA player who has now been extended a late invitation. He is expected to be officially added to the field on Monday.

Meanwhile, Scott Hoch, who competed in Bermuda last September, yesterday confirmed he would play again, having wrapped up one of three qualification spots in the last of the regional shoot-outs held in Akron, Ohio on Tuesday this week.

The other two qualifiers were Tour rookie Woody Austin and Kenny Perry, but as of yesterday neither had confirmed with Merrill Lynch that they would make the trip to Bermuda -- although their acceptance is considered a formality.

Austin needed to win the final shoot-out to overhaul David Duval, who appeared a certainty to make the final. And he did just that, leaping from 10th in the shoot-out money standings to third, thereby dropping Duval to fourth.

Besides the three qualifiers, this year's field boasts a star-studded line-up including defending champion and US Open winner Corey Pavin, Masters champion Ben Crenshaw, Peter Jacobsen, Craig Stadler, Payne Stewart and Curtis Strange.

Of the nine players named so far, five have won on the PGA Tour this year and all are among the top 40 money-winners.

Pavin leads the honours list having banked $1,049,313 in winnings, including two first prize purses at the Nissan Open and US Open. Jacobsen, fifth on the money list with $972,069, has also won twice, at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February and the following week's Buick Invitational.

Perry won the Bob Hope Classic, Stewart the Houston Open and Austin grabbed his first-ever Tour victory at the recent Buick Open.

This year's Shoot-out is scheduled for Tuesday, September 26, with a Pro-Am involving Merrill Lynch executives and clients the previous day.

DAVIS LOVE -- the former two-time Merrill Lynch Shoot-out champion has declined an invitation to compete again at Mid Ocean Club next month. His replacement, another top PGA Tour player, is expected to be named on Monday.