 Dredge has three top-10 finishes at the Wales Open |
Bradley Dredge will this week be on a quest to become the first home winner of Newport's Celtic Manor Wales Open. The Tredegar man, 33, has had three top 10 finishes at the �1.5m event, with a best of tied seventh last year.
"It would be very special to be the first Welshman to lift this title," said Wales' highest-ranked player.
"I've always enjoyed playing there, it's a definite advantage playing so close to home, with friends and family supporting you and knowing the course."
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Dredge, who lost to Padraig Harrington in a sudden-death play-off at the Irish Open earlier this month, will be one of nine Welshmen in the field.
The others are professionals Phil Price, Garry Houston, David Park, Mark Pilkington, Kyron Sullivan and Craig Smith, plus invited amateurs Llewellyn Matthews and Rhys Enoch.
Ian Woosnam was also due to feature, but he withdrew last week because he is still suffering from post-viral fatigue syndrome.
Retief Goosen, Colin Montgomerie, Michael Campbell and defending champion Robert Karlsson are amongst the leading names in this year's tournament.
They will be expecting low scores on the par-69 Roman Road course, 2007 likely to be the last Wales Open held there.
The move to the revamped 7,493-yard Wentwood Lakes course - the home of the 2010 Ryder Cup - is expected to be made next year.
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