Lee Westwood has been granted his wish of a late entry into the Murphy's Irish Open at Druids Glen next week. Once the 25-year-old Englishman - who currently tops the European Tour Order of Merit - altered his tour schedule and sought a place in the field, tournament organisers moved swiftly to facilitate him.
"We always keep a sponsor's invite back for just such an eventuality," said tournament official Paddy Rossi. "Murphy's were delighted to make one available to him."
Westwood, who was runner-up to Colin Montgomerie in the Irish Open last year, had originally intended to play in the Western Open on the US Tour this week and then rest next week prior to playing in Loch Lomond and then the British Open. However, he decided to change his plans and withdraw from the tournament in Cog Hill and looked for an invitation into the Irish Open instead. It's a decision that further boosts a field that already includes Montgomerie, Ernie Els and Nick Faldo who will all be fighting it out for record prizemoney of £1million. Westwood, who has won his last two tournaments in Europe, the Deutsche Bank TPC of Europe and the English Open, has won £383,629 in prizemoney from nine European Tour events this year and tops the Volvo ranking with £383,629. He is a remarkable 84-under-par for the 36 rounds of golf he has played in Europe so far this season and has five top-ten finishes.
Meanwhile, six Irish players have benefited from sponsor's invitations into next week's tournament. Keith Nolan, who has committed himself to the US Tour this season, will return home to play in the national championship and has received an invite along with John McHenry, David Higgins, Francis Howley, Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy. Australian Peter Senior and Spain's Fernando Roca have also received sponsor's invites.
Richard Coughlan declined an invitation, preferring to concentrate all his efforts on the US Tour. The Offaly man was forced to withdraw from the Buick Classic two weeks ago due to a pulled muscle in the rib area but has undergone intensive physiotherapy since then and has confined his practice to chipping and putting. Coughlan is in the Western Open this week which starts an unbroken seven-week stretch as he bids to retain his tour card.
