Eleven players from the world’s top 15 will headline the stellar field assembled at Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort for the JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am, the charitable event played once every five years which has raised more than €55 million for local charities.
Among the 54 professionals in the field in Ireland are 14 Major Champions with 35 Major Championship victories between them.
There are 23 Ryder Cup players, 17 of whom have represented Europe and six the United States.
The players from the world’s top 15 are: Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els, Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Robert Allenby and Pádraig Harrington. These players will be joined by a list of celebrities who are also including film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Douglas, Hugh Grant, Kyle Mac Lachlan and pop stars Westlife.
Fittingly it was Irishman Harrington who won the Pro-Am the last time it was played in 2005 and the three-time Major Champion is relishing playing on home soil in the two-day event which begins on Monday.
He said: "This is an unbelievable event with a great sense of local community participation and achievement. Everybody who gets involved behind the scenes is here in a voluntary capacity to help make a difference to peoples' lives and I am thrilled to be taking part once again. I am looking forward to enjoying 36 holes of golf in good company, and of course, trying to defend the title!"
Another Major Champion back on home soil will be US Open Championship winner McDowell, who is back in action for the first time since his momentous victory at Pebble Beach.
McDowell can expect a hero’s welcome from the Irish golfing public, with some 30,000 spectators expected for the two-day celebration
One player who had hoped to support JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am was Lee Westwood but the Englishman has been forced to withdraw due to the leg injury that came to light in Paris prior to the Alstom Open de France.
The world class field has gathered for the two-day charity tournament which supports charities and groups in the Irish Mid-Western Region. On its last staging in 2005, the tournament raised more than €30 million for nominated charities.
The “two-day entrance cap” for the 36-hole tournament have been purchased by choosing from eight different coloured caps representing Ireland, Munster Rugby and each of the six Munster counties.
The event, which has a prize fund of €1million comprises 54 teams of four players competing over two days. Each team has one professional and three amateurs.
