The defending Champion Mark O’Meara, the US Masters Champion, José Maria Olazábal and the Open Champion, Paul Lawrie, will be joined by the European Number One, Colin Montgomerie, three-time champion, Ernie Els, together with Nick Price, past winner of the US PGA and Open Championships.
In addition Spain’s Sergio Garcia, who made such an impact at the Ryder Cup and winner of last week’s Linde German Masters which moved him into second place on
the Volvo Order of Merit, will be making his first appearance in the Championship together with Retief Goosen from South Africa, winner of the Novotel Perrier Open de France, Australian Craig Parry, who tied fourth in the Open Championship, Carlos Franco from Paraguay, winner of two tournaments in his first year on the US PGA Tour, Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, currently ranked sixth in Europe, who played in his first Ryder Cup at Brookline, and the promising young, American Notah Begay III who, after a 59 on the Nike tour last season, became only the second native American to win on the US PGA Tour with his victory in the Reno-Tahoe Open in August.
Notah BEGAY III (USA)
Ernie ELS (SA)
Carlos FRANCO (Paraguay)
Sergio GARCIA (Spain)
Retief GOOSEN (SA)
Padraig HARRINGTON (Ireland)
Paul LAWRIE (Scotland)
Colin MONTGOMERIE (Scotland)
José Maria OLAZÁBAL (Spain)
Mark O’MEARA (USA)
Craig PARRY (Australia)
Nick PRICE (Zimbabwe)
