Ten-time Ryder Cup player Lee Westwood and 2016 Masters Tournament Champion Danny Willett have confirmed their participation for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation.
The English duo will be joined by compatriots Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood at Portstewart for the July event.
Along with the recently announced Justin Rose, they will add to a world-class English contingent at Portstewart Golf Club, where they will attempt to dethrone the reigning champion - four-time major winner and tournament host Rory McIlroy.
This year’s event takes place from 6-9 July, is expected to be the biggest in the tournament’s long history – bolstered by its new status as one of the eight prestigious Rolex Series events. And the prize fund has increased to a record US$7 million.
Westwood has a strong record in Ireland’s national open championship, with a tied tenth finish at the K Club last year adding to three top fives and two further top tens, and the 23-time European Tour winner is looking forward to returning.
"The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open has always been one of the highlights of the European Tour season and, with it now being part of the Rolex Series, I’m sure it’s going to be even bigger this time around," said Westwood.
"Going back to a links course this year definitely adds to the appeal for a lot of the guys and I’ve heard great things about Portstewart Golf Club so hopefully I can bring some form into the week."
Willett returns having played in the final group alongside McIlroy on the final day last year. He also enjoys solid form in the event, with three top ten finishes in six appearances, so is sure to be confident of adding to his five European Tour victories at the Country Derry venue.
"I love playing in front of the Irish golf fans," said Willett. "They’ve always given me a great reception, right back to when I played the Walker Cup in Northern Ireland in 2007, and I think that’s part of the reason why I have played so well there in the last few years.
"It’s good to get some links golf under your belt in the run-up to The Open Championship and I’m sure Portstewart will provide great preparation."
Hatton claimed his first top five finish of the 2016 season at the Irish Open last year and that proved to be a sign of things to come, the 25-year-old going on to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, and has rocketed to 16th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
He also finished in a share of fourth at Royal County Down in 2015 so he will no doubt be brimming with confidence heading to Portstewart in two months’ time.
"I absolutely love links golf," said Hatton. "You can see that by my recent results at links courses – the win at St Andrews and a runner-up at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open last year – I love playing these courses and this will be my first links tournament of the European Tour season so I can’t wait to get to there in front of the Irish fans.
"The Rolex Series is a really exciting concept for the European Tour and this run of events gives us some great practise in the lead up to the Open Championship, but the only thing I’ll be thinking about at Portstewart is winning and with my recent form in this event, I’ll be feeling pretty confident."
Fleetwood has enjoyed a flying start to the 2017 Race to Dubai, beating Dustin Johnson and Pablo Larrazábal to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January and adding two more runner-up finishes – including at the WGC-Mexico Championship and Shenzhen International – and he now sits in second place in the Race to Dubai.
The Merseysider's best result in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open came in 2015 at Royal County Down, and he is hoping to carry his impressive recent form into the July showpiece.
"It’s going to be a great event and I’m really looking forward to playing it," he said. "Rory’s a great guy and he is excellent for the European Tour, and put that together with the Rolex Series factor and it’s just going to be brilliant.
"In amateur golf we played so many of these great links courses and you turn pro and you don’t get that luxury anymore, so I think it’ll be fantastic. I’ve never been there so I’m really looking forward to going because it’s such a highly thought of course.
"That run going up to The Open Championship is fantastic. It’s a great idea and I’m looking forward to getting to Northern Ireland."
