More ladies than men have signed up for this week's Bermuda Golf Association Senior Amateur Championships at Riddell's Bay.

And that's believed to be a first in the championships' long history.

Just 22 players will tee off in the men's 72-hole tournament which gets underway tomorrow, while 24 ladies have registered for the 54-hole women's event which will begin on Thursday.

But according to BGA spokesman Nick Mansell, there is good reason for the small men's entry.

"A group of Bermuda Seniors are bringing down a team from overseas to play in a match which I believe they contest annually," he explained. "There was a conflict of dates which wasn't realised when the arrangements were made. So that's why our numbers are down. It's unfortunate."

Former Port Royal GC and St George's GC manager Max Atherden will be defending his men's title but a new ladies' champion will be crowned as the event wasn't played last year.