It will be a special return to Celtic Manor for Graeme McDowell when he tees up in next week’s Wales Open.

McDowell now joins fellow Gleneagles Ryder Cup stars in Jamie Donaldson, Thomas Bjorn, Victor Dubuisson, Stephen Gallacher and Lee Westwood in adding the event to the schedule and a week prior to teeing up in the Ryder Cup.

Four years ago McDowell captured the event and then a few months later in 2010 became the hero of the European Team in defeating Hunter Mahan 3 & 1 in their Singles encounter to ensure the Ryder Cup remained in European hands.

Graeme McDowell returning to Wales four years after holing the winning 2010 Ryder Cup putt. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)

‘I’ve got so many happy memories of Celtic Manor,” he said.

‘I also won the Wales Open at Celtic Manor in 2010 as well as enjoying my time at the Ryder Cup, so it will certainly get the juices flowing a bit.

“My thinking is that I want to know the state of my game. I don’t want to take a week off and be thinking: “What if?” he said.

“So I playing the Wales Open so that i can be sharp because you know by Tuesday at Gleneagles you are playing for your place in the starting line-up.’