Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley today confirmed they will all play in this year’s Smurfit Irish PGA Championship at Westport Golf Club and considering Des Smyth will also defend his title it will be one of the strongest fields that the event has had for many years.
The Championship will take place from April 25th-28th which is a change from the traditional October date and will be the first time Westport has hosted a professional event.
"Given the fact that we have three of the top professionals in the world today playing, I think it is going to be a marvellous event," said Dr Michael Smurfit, Chairman of the Jefferson and Smurfit Group.
Michael McCumiskey, Secretary of the PGA Irish region said he was delighted at the strength of the field and was pleased the Championship was returning to the West, keeping with the policy to stage the event all over the country.
There will be total prize fund of €137,000 on offer in this the 13th year the Smurfit Group sponsor the tournament, making it the largest closed National PGA Championship in Europe. A further €3,800 will be available in prize money for the pre-qualifying round.
Clarke won the Championship the last time it was played in the West at Galway Golf Club in 1994. Last year Smyth won at Castlerock Golf Club in Co Antrim.