He's Europe's answer to Tiger Woods, and the hottest amateur in world golf is bound for Druids Glen! Sergio Garcia, the Spaniard who combines the charisma of Seve Ballesteros with the on-course objectiveness of Jose-Maria Olazabal, has accepted an invitation to play in the Murphy's Irish Open at the Co Wicklow venue on July 2nd-5th.

Garcia, 18, confirmed his status as one of golf's future stars when capturing the British Amateur championship (shown above) at Muirfield two weeks ago, a win which booked him a place in the British Open at Birkdale next month and also a trip to the US Masters at Augusta next year.

The Spaniard is no stranger to these shores. Last year, he led his country to success in the European Team Championships at Portmarnock. The son of a club professional, Garcia has shown remarkable talent: as a 15-year-old, he became the youngest winner of the European Individual Amateur Championship. However, on the advice of Ballesteros, he has delayed making the inevitable move into the professional ranks for another 12 months.