Miguel Angel Jimenez is the latest star to confirm his participation in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open after the deadline for entries closed.
The tournament, which will be shown live on RTÉ2, sees 156 players from more than 20 countries converge on Royal County Down from 28-31 May.
An exceptional field will include no fewer than 16 of the world’s top 50 players, who will fight it out for a €2.5 million prize fund in one of the most eagerly anticipated Irish Opens in memory.
Finland’s Mikko Ilonen will defend his title against eight Major champions who have won 16 Major titles between them, including world number one Rory McIlroy, whose 'Rory Foundation' charity are hosting the event, Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Paul Lawrie, José Maria Olazábal and current Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke.
Two players who will be looking forward to competing in this year’s tournament are the in-form Rickie Fowler from the US, who won the PGA Players’ Championship at Sawgrass on Sunday, and South African George Coetzee, winner of last weekend’s Mauritius Open.
Both Fowler and Coetzee won their respective events after play-offs featuring Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen, both of whom are also confirmed for the Irish Open.
Other well documented star players to tee off at Royal County Down include a host of former World Number Ones including reigning US Open Champion Kaymer, Luke Donald, Els and Lee Westwood.
American Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed also confirmed his participation last month but today The European Tour revealed another raft of top players who have not yet been formally announced.
French star Victor Dubuisson, crowd favourite Jiminez and Welshman Jamie Donaldson, who has risen dramatically up the world rankings and become a Ryder Cup star since his maiden victory in the 2012 Irish Open at Royal Portrush, will all be in attendance.
Northern Ireland’s famous trio of McIroy, McDowell and Clarke will be enhanced by the addition of Galgorm Castle’s Michael Hoey – while Padraig Harrington will be joined by the likes of Shane Lowry, Paul McGinley and other Irish players Michael McDermott (Leopardstown), Brendan McGovern (Headfort), Damian Mooney (Ballyliffin), Neil O’Briain (Old Conna), John Kelly (St Margaret’s), Cian McNamara (Monkstown) and Damien McGrane.
Other English players to note include Simon Khan, Ross Fisher, David Howell, Simon Dyson, Chris Wood, Richard Finch and Robert Rock, while a strong French line-up also includes the likes of Alexander Levy, Raphael Jacquelin and Gregory Havret.
Brett Rumford (Australia), Marcel Siem (Germany) and Jeev Milkha Singh (India) are amongst the rest of the field who will be hoping for a good run while other countries represented include Argentina, Chile, Korea and Paraguay.
Leading Irish amateur internationals Gavin Moynihan (Island Golf Club, County Dublin), Jack Hume (Naas Golf Club, County Kildare) and Gary Hurley (West Waterford Golf Club, County Waterford), along with reigning Amateur Champion Bradley Neil from Scotland, will be trying to emulate the feat of Shane Lowry who in 2009 at Baltray became the only amateur ever to win the Irish Open.
Watch live coverage of the 2015 Irish Open on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 28 May
