JAMIE Donaldson will be the latest man to try and end the Welsh famine at the Wales Open this week.

Now set for tournament number 15 at the Celtic Manor – and possibly the last time it will be staged – Donaldson will look to go one better than a quartet of Welshman who have come close, but not quite got over the line.

2000: Woe for Woosie

The Welsh curse at the Wales Open began back in the maiden event won by Denmark’s Steen Tinning.

The perennial Challenge Tour player was far from the ideal winner for tournament chiefs who would’ve been excited after three rounds with major winner Woosie tied with the young Dane.

However, a final round of 70 wasn’t enough for the man who would go on to successfully captain Europe in the Ryder Cup and he was forced to settle for a top five finish, not that he’d be the last.

2003: Pain for Price

Once again a Welshman with a rich Ryder Cup pedigree was in contention for victory with Price second to Ian Poulter after three rounds and paired with the Englishman in the final group.

At the time Poulter was a relative rookie and Price’s stock had never been higher after he stunned Phil Mickelson in 2002 to beat him in the Ryder Cup singles as Europe won out in the event delayed by a year by the 9/11 atrocity.

However, this was a case of youth beating experience as Poulter held his nerve and his lead to once again deny Wales a home winner.

2007: Disaster for Dredge

Blackwood’s Bradley Dredge was the second Gwent player to come within a whisker of victory in Wales’ flagship event, coming within an inch of forcing a playoff with eventual winner Richard Sterne.

The duo finished like steam trains during a thrilling final round, but Dredge’s exceptional final round of 67 wasn’t quite enough as he missed a putt on 18 that would’ve forced added holes.

It was all the more frustrating for Dredge in that he also missed out in the Irish Open in the same month, coming second to popular home winner Padraig Harrington.

Dredge wouldn’t enjoy success to that level until 2014 after losing his European Tour card, but he’s finished as a runner-up twice on European Tour duty this year and will regain full playing privileges next season. You may also consider him as a dark horse contender this week.

2010: Davies is denied

There was a real buzz about the 2010 Wales Open, effectively a dress rehearsal for the Ryder Cup.

And little could we predict how clearly the Wales Open would indicate the future of the third most viewed sporting event on the planet as Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell became the latest player to break Welsh hearts.

This time McDowell’s superb putting and course management saw him hold off Bridgend’s Rhys Davies as the duo performed scintillatingly on the final afternoon, McDowell carding 63 and Davies a course record of 62 as they battled for supremacy and the Welsh Open title.

McDowell won out and would go on to cap the year of his life by winning the US Open a fortnight after success in Newport and of course proved the star turn in the incredible Ryder Cup singles back at the Celtic Manor in September.