The Celtic Manor Wales Open 2008 - Talented Trio Head for Celtic Manor
TALENTED TRIO HEAD FOR CELTIC MANOR
Ryder Cup stars Clarke, Howell and McGinley among latest new entries to
The Celtic Manor Wales Open
Ryder Cup winners Darren Clarke, David Howell and Paul McGinley are the latest star names to confirm their entries to play in The Celtic Manor Wales Open later this month.
The talented trio – all part of Ian Woosnam’s victorious European team at The K Club in 2006 – take their places in the strongest field ever assembled for the £1.8m event.
They will tee up alongside Open champion Padraig Harrington, who will make his debut in the tournament from May 29-June 1, and many more of Europe’s leading players including Colin Montgomerie, Niclas Fasth, Robert Karlsson, Nick Dougherty, Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer.
Clarke made an emotional return to the winner’s circle on The European Tour last month when he captured the BMW Asian Open, his first tournament victory since the death of his wife, Heather, from cancer in 2006.
Secured by a dramatic 40-ft birdie putt at the last, the win has propelled Clarke back into contention for a sixth successive Ryder Cup cap at Valhalla this September and he has added The Celtic Manor Wales Open to his schedule as he bids to make Nick Faldo’s team.
Fellow Irishman McGinley is a past champion at Celtic Manor, having won the tournament in 2001 following a dramatic play-off with former Open champion Paul Lawrie and Daren Lee. The win helped McGinley secure a Ryder Cup debut at The Belfry in 2002 and he went on to take centre stage by holing the winning putt in that match before retaining his place in the subsequent record European victories at Oakland Hills in 2004 and The K Club two years later.
Howell also has previous form at the venue, having finished runner-up to inaugural Celtic Manor Wales Open winner Steen Tinning eight years ago. The Englishman makes a welcome return to the event not far from his Swindon home as he seeks to rediscover the form that swept him to an impressive double of BMW Championship and HSBC Champions Tournament victories during the 2006 season.
Celtic Manor Wales Open Tournament Director Dylan Matthews said: “It’s great to see three more very talented and very popular British and Irish golfers entering to play in The Celtic Manor Wales Open.
“This is certainly the strongest field we have ever seen at the tournament and I’m sure all the leading tour professionals are looking forward to getting to grips with the new Twenty Ten course for the first time.
“Golf fans are also going to want to get a first look at the spectacular new course built for staging The Ryder Cup in 2010 and I’m confident we’re going to get huge crowds adding to the drama at this year’s tournament. With the reigning Open champion, Padraig Harrington, and so many of his Ryder Cup team-mates on show, there will be plenty of quality golf to admire.”
As well as Europe’s big guns, the field is further boosted by international stars like defending champion Richard Sterne of South Africa and India’s Jeev Milka Singh.
Closer to home, the Welsh challenge will be led by Bradley Dredge and also includes his World Cup winning partner Stephen Dodd, Ryder Cup player Phil Price, Garry Houston, Sion Bebb, Jamie Donaldson, Stuart Manley, David Park, Rhys Davies and Craig Smith.
The Celtic Manor Wales Open always aims to provide an experience that is much more than just a golf tournament. Ladies Day, complete with champagne hospitality, on the Saturday of the event has become one of the hottest dates on the sporting social calendar, relaxed master-classes on the range give spectators a unique insight into some of their favourite players, and a family tented village complete with KidZone provides additional entertainment for all.