THOMAS Bjӧrn, Victor Dubuisson and Stephen Gallacher will complete a formidable quintet of Ryder Cup players teeing up at next week’s ISPS HANDA Wales Open.

The trio join former World No 1 Lee Westwood and in-form Welshman Jamie Donaldson in a fitting final warm-up at Celtic Manor for the Ryder Cup which takes place the following week.

The ISPS HANDA Wales Open from September 18-21 will be played on the course which staged the 2010 match against the Americans and it will be set up as closely as possible to the layout which will face this year’s European team at Gleneagles.

A vice-captain for the European victories in 2004, 2010 and 2012, Bjӧrn tees up in Wales before making his first playing appearance in the Ryder Cup since 2002. A return to form in recent seasons has been capped by wins at the 2013 Omega European Masters and this season’s Nedbank Golf Challenge which have propelled the Dane back into the top 30 of golf’s world rankings.

Dubuisson was also a winner at the start of the Ryder Cup qualifying campaign – at the Turkish Airlines Open – and finished runner-up at the Accenture World Match Play Championship earlier this year. The Frenchman sealed his Ryder Cup place with top-10 placings at the Open Championship and US PGA Championship over the summer.

Rookie Gallacher secured a wildcard pick from European Captain Paul McGinley after coming within a whisker of qualifying automatically with third place in last month’s 71° Open d'Italia, the final counting event. The Scot retained his Omega Dubai Desert Classic in February among eight top-10 finishes this season.

Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said: “We’re really excited to add another chapter to our Ryder Cup history by being the final tournament before this year’s match in Scotland.

“It’s great that so many of the European team have decided to take this opportunity to warm up on a Ryder Cup course where conditions will closely match those that they are likely to face the following week.

“This is the strongest field assembled at Celtic Manor since the 2010 Ryder Cup and the ISPS HANDA Wales Open is a fantastic opportunity for golf fans to cheer on the Ryder Cup players and all the other stars of the European Tour.”

Paul Casey, Ross Fisher, Francesco Molinari, Joost Luiten, Nicolas Colsaerts and David Howell are also entered to contest the £300,000 first prize along with defending champion Grégory Bourdy and former winners Robert Karlsson, Paul Lawrie, Simon Khan and Thongchai Jaidee.

As well as top-class golfing action, the tournament always offers a great value day out for all the family with a tented village including bar, food outlets, shops selling golf merchandise and opportunities for youngsters to try their hand at golf.

The tournament will also showcase the work of ISPS which continues to expand and enhance its blind and disabled golf initiatives, showing that sport has the power to inspire, create hope and transform society.

For further information and tickets, visit www.ispshandawalesopen.com or call 01633 410318.

ENDS