The £1.5 million Celtic Manor Wales Open 2004, to be held at The Celtic Manor Resort from June 3-6 2004, will play host to its strongest field since the tournament began in 2000.
Four of the victorious 2002 Ryder Cup Team have already committed to playing in The Celtic Manor Wales Open this year. Colin Montgomerie of Scotland, England’’s Lee Westwood, Paul McGinley of Ireland and Phillip Price of Wales will be joined by Scot Paul Lawrie, who played at Brookline in 1999 as well as 2004 Ryder Cup hopefuls Paul Casey and Ian Poulter.
The two young Englishmen will be out to secure enough points this season to enable them to make their first appearances for Europe in the biennial match against the United States which this year takes place at Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA.
Poulter himself returns to The Celtic Manor Resort to defend the title he won in scorching conditions last year, equalling the record for the Wentwood Hills course with a seven under par 65 in his first round, a score bettered by two shots in the third round by Australia’’s Jarrod Moseley, who finished tied second. Poulter joins former champions McGinley (2001) and Lawrie (2002) in seeking to retain his title.
Ian Woosnam will play in his fifth successive Celtic Manor Wales Open. Further entries have been received from leading Members of The European Tour including Michael Campbell and Costantino Rocca.
Westwood said: "I am very pleased to be able to play at The Celtic Manor Wales Open again this year. Although I made the cut in my first appearance there two years ago, my aim this year will be to play as well as I can in the first couple of rounds to put myself into real contention going into the last day.
"The Celtic Manor Wales Open is obviously an important tournament for players looking to gain as many points as possible in order to qualify to play in The Ryder Cup in September."
Price said: “The Celtic Manor Wales Open is one of the biggest events in the Welsh sporting calendar. It is always a pleasure to play the Wentwood Hills course and I’’m keen to improve on my seventh place finish last year. I was in real contention going into the final round but shot a 74 to leave myself a little short, so this year’’s ambition is to stay consistent over the full four days.”
Defending champion Poulter said: “I am really looking forward to defending my title at the The Celtic Manor Wales Open 2004. Obviously, I have great memories from last year’’s tournament but being Champion means that there’’s the added pressure of trying to retain your title to contend with. I will be trying to continue the form I showed here last year and it would be great if I could shoot another 65 or lower along the way!”
Montgomerie said: "It will be a great pleasure to return to The Celtic Manor Wales Open. I thought it was a great event last year and I’’m looking forward to a good week myself this year.
"Last year I seemed to play well from tee to green but just couldn't sink the putts. This year, I look forward to giving myself an opportunity to play for the title on the final day."
Chairman of The Celtic Manor Wales Open, Andy Stanton said: “I’’m thrilled with the way the field is shaping up for this year’’s tournament. I think that it is looking like all the ingredients will be in place for the event to be the most exciting Celtic Manor Wales Open that we have ever hosted and a real draw for golf fans from all over the UK.”
Owner of The Celtic Manor Resort, Sir Terry Matthews added: “I’’m delighted that we are able to announce such a strong field for this year’’s Celtic Manor Wales Open. It is my ambition to keep building on the success of this tournament year on year, not just until 2010 when we are going to be privileged enough to host The 38th Ryder Cup Matches, but beyond. We will keep investing in this tournament and in the facilities at The Celtic Manor Resort in order to provide as much impetus as we can for the development of the game of golf in Wales.”
Amongst the innovations for this year’’s Celtic Manor Wales Open, the event will, for the first time, feature a Ladies’’ Day on the Saturday, designed to make the third round of the tournament even more of a social occasion than it has been in recent years. It is anticipated that Ladies’’ Day will attract considerable interest from personalities such as Patsy Kensit, Meg Matthews, Pat Cash, Laura Bailey and Mica Paris.
Set in more than 1,400 acres of beautiful parkland in the Usk Valley, The Celtic Manor Resort is much more than a five-star hotel. Host venue to The 2010 Ryder Cup, the resort boasts three championship golf courses, four restaurants and two health clubs, not to mention Europe’’s largest hotel health spa. Its purpose built Convention Centre is already recognised as one of the top conference venues in Europe. Celtic Manor is the perfect destination for business and leisure.
