World number one Tiger Woods is set to defend his AT&T National title at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia over the four days leading up to the JP McManus Pro-Am which takes place on July 5-6.
With that $6.2 million AT&T National tournament set to finish up late on Sunday night (July 4) Irish time, the US golfers face a quick dash to the airport and an overnight flight across the Atlantic in order to make their tee times in Adare.
Thirty-five-year-old Tiger Woods will spend just two days in Ireland before returning back home following his second round in the Pro-Am.
Other top US professionals who are set to compete in both Philadelphia and Adare include Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson, Jerry Kelly and Rickie Fowler.
Thirteen of the World’s current top-16 ranked players have confirmed they will play in next month’s JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am.
They include new US Open champion Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Ernie Els, Luke Donald, Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Robert Allenby, Pádraig Harrington (2005 champion) and Camilo Villegas.
Speaking at the launch of a mobile phone app for the up-coming JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am at Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort this Tuesday afternoon JP McManus revealed that attracting the players to participate in the 36-hole event had not proved difficult.
“I am very much looking forward to the event. So far so good, we are on track. We are getting a lot of support from everybody and that is very encouraging,” JP McManus said.
“We have more people volunteering to work this year. It seemed to be easier to get the players. It was an easier sell in a lot of ways.
“I have had a relationship with a lot of the players for quite a long time now. With a lot in the early days I probably worked on the wives and tried to encourage the wives to come. The wives got the husbands to come. If the wives had a good time they would tell the other wives and then they all want to come.
“We have more applications that we can cater for. We try to have a strong a field as we can. We have a good bunch of guys. They want to help. They see what we are doing.
“There are no deductions from what is collected. I think that is encouraging for a lot of people. They feel they are playing a part in something good and positive.”
JP McManus also revealed that the Pro-Am would be the first event that the newly-crowned US Open champion Graeme McDowell would play in following his dramatic success at Pebble Beach on Sunday last.
“The Pro-Am will be the first tournament Graeme McDowell is going to play in since winning the US Open.
“We are excited about that,” JP McManus enthused.
“But you look at the leader board in Pebble Beach at the US Open, you had the likes of Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Dustin Johnson who were in contention and they are coming over to play in Adare.”
The two-day entrance cap for the 36-hole JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am can be purchased by choosing from eight different coloured caps representing Ireland, Munster Rugby and each of the six Munster counties.
At a cost of €50 each entrance caps can be purchased from the website on www.jpmcmanusproam.com until Tuesday, June 29 next or at selected retail outlets.
JP McManus said: “The encouraging part is that the numbers of entrance caps sold continues to increase day by day. We have less than 3,500 left to sell. You would be surprised how quickly they tend to go. The cut-off point to buy them on-line from the website is Tuesday next.
“The price is €50 for two days. We put it at a price we thought would be affordable. You have ten hours entertainment and your money goes in its entirety to the charity.”
Thirteen of the world’s current top-16 ranked players have confirmed they will play in next month’s event.
Joining the man-of-the-moment Graeme McDowell in the star-studded line-up will be world number one Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk, Ian Poulter, Ernie Els, Luke Donald, Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Robert Allenby, Pádraig Harrington (2005 JP McManus Pro-Am winner) and Camilo Villegas. These players will be joined by a list of celebrities including film stars Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Douglas, Hugh Grant, Kyle MacLachlan and pop stars Westlife.
More than 8,200 club golfers tried their hand at qualifying to play alongside one of the world’s top golfers in the team event at the JP McManus Pro-Am.
Eight teams qualified to play in the two-day Pro-Am from the 91 which participated in the recent Grand Qualifier held at Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort.
The mobile phone app launched jointly by JP McManus and Munster and Ireland rugby star Paul O’Connell on Tuesday will allow users to download the JP McManus Pro Am website www.jpmcmanusproam.com live onto their phone.
There they will receive the most up to date information on players and celebrities attending the Pro-Am as well as live scores at the event.
The mobile phone ap can be accessed from Samsung, iphones and Android handsets.
Members of the public can purchase Pro-Am entrance caps at Gleeson Sports, William St, Limerick; Limerick Sports Store, William St, Limerick; Anthony Daly Sports, Ennis; Hennebry Sports, Tralee; Limerick Golf Club, Ballyclough; Ela Maria, Newcastle west; Adare Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare and Cummins Sport, Cork.
Colm Kinsella
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