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This year's Ross Blackie Talbot Junior International Golf Tournament has an added touch of toughness.

It will be the first time the tourney has used two golf courses to test the mettle of the international field.

Last year's event saw over 60 local and overseas young participants.

Chairman of the RBT Junior International Classic, Kevin Benevides, said: "this year's event promises to be even better with participants expected to come from U.K., continental Europe, USA and of course a contingent of our own Bermuda junior golfers."

He added: "This year for the first time, we will use two of Bermuda's prestigious golf courses, Mid Ocean and Tucker's Point, as we wish to make the tournament that much more inviting and challenging. It is also the first time that we have been associated with the International Junior Golf Tour (IJGT), who have partnered with the RBT Junior International Classic in promoting the event overseas.

"This has been most beneficial having attracted an additional number of overseas juniors (and their parents) to participate. We are certainly looking forward to the future and this new relationship."

Mr. Benevides added: "On behalf of the committee, I'd like to express our sincere gratitude to our sponsors, The Bermuda Department of Tourism, D&J Construction, First Bermuda Group, Total Marketing & Communications Limited as well as our many Tee and Green sponsors, without whose financial assistance, this event would not be possible."

Benevides said he expects a field of 60 to 70 top junior golfers will once again attend the event.

The organising committee of the RBT Junior International Classic is promoting it across North America and with many of the U.S. junior golfing associations as well as the European and South American junior golfing associations.

The Bermuda Junior Golf Association has again sanctioned the event as an official junior tournament.

Clement E. Talbot, chairman of the event, said: "I am once again exceptionally pleased that last year's Tournament raised the interest internationally and has now established itself on the world wide junior golfing calendar as it certainly encourages diversity, goodwill, fellowship, camaraderie and family values, which are the key values and the legacy of the Ross "Blackie" Talbot Charity Classic."

He added: "I would also like to express mine and the RBT Charity Classic Committee's sincere appreciation to the many sponsors for their continued commitment and support of the RBT Junior International Classic."

Benevides said: "It is very gratifying that last three years events met with the success they did and managed to generate the support from overseas junior golfing associations resulting in overseas junior golfers and their parents and friends travelling to Bermuda to participate. We have now established relationships with them that can only benefit this tournament and Bermuda in the future."

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