The Wales Open golf tournament tees off at the Celtic Manor Resort near Newport on Thursday, with hopes of a first Welsh winner higher than ever. It is the sixth time the contest has been held at the venue owned by electronics billionaire Terry Matthews.
He has put the venue on the world golfing map by landing the 2010 Ryder Cup. This August will also see a golf tournament of A-list celebrities.
The prize money for this year's event is �1.5m.
Sir Terry has invested millions in making the Celtic Manor Resort the most high-profile golfing destination in Wales.
In 2001, he triumphed over bids from five Scottish venues and one in northern England to win the 2010 Ryder Cup.
Preparations for that event mean that the site's best known course, Wentwood Hills, will not be used for the 2005 Wales Open, as it is being redeveloped.
The Wentwood Hills work will include nine new holes with the aim of accommodating crowds of more than 50,000 at the 16th, 17th and 18th holes.
Competitions in this year's tournament will use the smaller, par 69 Roman Road course, named after the many Roman roads that cross it.
 Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain in the Wales Open on Thursday |
Roman Road is some 600 yards shorter than Wentworth, at 6,743 yards, and has a handful of water hazards but only one lake.
The venue was previewed on Wednesday with a pro-am competition, which included golfer Colin Montgomerie and television celebrity Chris Evans.
Among the professional players, Barry-born Stephen Dodd is considered Wales' best hope to the lift the winners' trophy, after triumphing at the Irish Open a fortnight ago.
He is joined by Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam and fellow compatriots Garry Houston, Stuart Manley, Matthew Prior and Barry Dredge.
Altogether, the 2005 field includes 18 European Ryder Cup players.
The television cameras are expected at the Celtic Manor Resort again in August when it hosts the celebrity tournament masterminded by TV hosts Ant and Dec.
The American celebrities confirmed for the event include the Hollywood actors Samuel L Jackson, Sylvester Stallone and Andy Garcia.
UK celebrities for the European team include Chris Evans, Jodie Kidd, Sir Steve Redgrave and James Nesbitt as well as former Wimbledon tennis champion Boris Becker.
Swansea-born star Catherine Zeta Jones and husband Michael Douglas are also suggested as possible participants.
In September, the Celtic Manor Resort will also to host the European Union's foreign ministers' meeting.
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