Bradley Dredge will aim to take a cue from his Irish Open play-off conqueror, Padraig Harrington, when he tees up on home soil at The Celtic Manor Wales Open next week.
Welshman Dredge came to a watery grave at the first extra hole after pushing Harrington all the way at Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort last weekend.
But he can take plenty of heart from his best performance of the season and from the fact Harrington became the first home winner of the Irish Open for 25 years.
Dredge himself will be striving to become the first Welsh winner in the seven-year history of The Celtic Manor Wales Open when the tournament tees off on May 31.
World Number 11 Harrington certainly believes Dredge has all the qualities to add to his two European Tour victories in the 2003 Madeira Island Open and at last year’s Omega European Masters.
“I feel sorry for Bradley because that’s the second time we’ve gone head-to-head and Bradley’s come out on the losing side,” said Harrington, who fended off the same challenger at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last autumn.
“He really came at me in the final round and I’m sure there are plenty more wins ahead for him.”
Dredge, who clawed back three shots on Harrington with a closing 68, would like nothing better than to go one better than his agonising near miss in Ireland back at The Celtic Manor Wales Open, where he has already enjoyed some success.
Dredge has three top ten finishes to his credit at the £1.5m event including a best of tied seventh last season when he won the Andy Stanton prize of £10,000 for the charity of his choice as the leading Welsh finisher.
“It would be very special to be the first Welshman to lift this title,” said Wales’ highest-ranked player.
“I’ve always enjoyed playing at The Celtic Manor Resort and it’s a definite advantage playing so close to home, with friends and family supporting you and knowing the course a little bit better than most of the other players in the field.”
Dredge is one of ten Welsh professionals lining up along with his 2005 WGC - World Cup winning partner Stephen Dodd, Ryder Cup star Phil Price and 2006 Ryder Cup winning captain Ian Woosnam.
Other home hopes are Garry Houston, David Park, Mark Pilkington, Kyron Sullivan and Craig Smith as well as two invited amateurs, Llewellyn Matthews and Rhys Enoch.
In order to break the home duck they will have to overcome stiff international competition that includes two former US Open winners in Retief Goosen of South Africa, the World Number Nine, and Michael Campbell of New Zealand, plus eight-time European Tour Number One Colin Montgomerie of Scotland.
Wednesday (May 23) is the last day tournaments tickets can be pre-booked by telephone. Tickets can be purchased online at celtic-manor.com until Saturday or on the gate from May 31-June 3.
