Last May David Mortimer of FORE Ireland tied for top spot at the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship Irish Region qualifier at The Heritagge along with Donal Gleeson, of the Old Conna Club, as the pair carded two under par on a difficult day to win a place in the £78,000 final.
Mortimer, 2006 Irish PGA Champion, had never played in the Glenmuir tournament before which is also supported by Peugeot and MPI Financial Services.
Both Irish players will be joining last year's winner James Lee admits he would not have swapped the last 12 months for anything after a year to remember as he bids to defend his Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship title at The Oxfordshire on August 10-13.
Lee, head PGA pro at Caerphilly club, won last year's final at a stormy Dundonald Links course and accepts that much of the attention will be on him as he tries to repeat the feat a year on.
But he insists any pressure at this year's final is welcome after the doors that were opened for him by winning the tournament.
"To go in as the reigning champion might suggest there's a bit of pressure on me, but to be honest, that's outweighed by the good things that have happened to me over the last year," he said.
"I'll always be one of the players remembered as being a past champion and no-one can take that away from me.
"Plus I was able to play in the PGA Cup with my good friend Andrew Barnett and although we lost, the performance wasn't as bad as the final score suggested.
"In addition I played in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth which was a great week for me and for my family."
Lee has experience of The Oxfordshire course but says his form will have to improve if he is to be among the leaders in the 72-hole event which carries a £90,000 prize and is supported by Peugeot and MPI Financial Services.
Neil Holman (Torbay), Barry Austin (Downes Crediton), Matthew Griffiths (Oakdale) and Stuart Little (Minchinhampton) are all involved after tying for top spot at the West Region qualifier at Saunton.
Bristol's Andrew Sherborne is also involved along with Richard Sadler of Cornwall's Killiow club.
Colin Mee, managing director of Glenmuir, said:
"The Oxfordshire is an extremely challenging, but fair, course and one that will provide a superb test for the finalists.
"The standard of golf served up by the players will be of the highest order and we can be certain that the eventual winner will have exhibited great skill, patience and determination.
"It's a very natural and dramatic course design that can be appreciated both by the players and spectators and we hope everyone who comes to the final - to compete or watch - has a fantastic time.
"Two of the holes have been voted among the best 500 in the world by Golf Magazine, so it's a tremendously fitting location for this prestigious event."
