2004 Goosen strolls to victory

Arnold Palmer's K Club masterpiece takes centre stage again - after a year's tweaking - for the last time before it holds next year's Ryder Cup.

It has been lengthened slightly to 7,337 yards and a handful of greens and fairways have been reshaped.

Like its sister course, the Smurfit, which held last year's event and will be on duty again in 2006, the Palmer makes the most of the Liffey which runs through both.

Several of the holes are skirted by the river and once again the greens are in tip-top condition with the rough high.

EASIEST HOLE: The par-five 545-yard 16th promises a differing challenge over the week.

For the first two days, the backward tee will offer little choice but to lay up in two, wedge on to the green over the Liffey and hope for a birdie putt.

Tournament director David Garland, however, has hinted that he may bring the tee forward for the weekend - he says it will certainly be so at least on one day.

That will give the longer hitters the chance to reach in two for a two-putt birdie. In 2003, it averaged 5.02 a time.

HARDEST HOLE: The par-four seventh has been lengthened some 35 yards and now measures 430 yards.

As before, it tests accuracy from the tee both left and right with water lying in wait for pushed or pulled drives. For good measure, the redesign also extends the water threat right to the green - previously it banked up around 20 yards short of it - and there's also a lake behind it.

Instead of a wedge, players will now be using mid to long irons with their approaches in with a bigger premium on accuracy.

In 2003, the shorter version of the hole averaged 4.16 and conceded just 60 birdies. Expect a higher score average this time round and a lower birdie count.

US Open champion Michael Campbell returns to the European Tour fray for the first time since his mastering of the fearsome Pinehurst course two weeks ago. It should be an intriguing return after he opted to skip this week's French Open.

Retief Goosen, who won on the Smurfit Course here last year and surrendered a three-shot final day lead at Pinehurst, is also in the field along with Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke.

Information: Reuters Stats