As things stand, Padraig Harrington, as the only player of the quartet not to have won a major, will be the odd man out for the Heritage Challenge, a special fourball competition also involving John Daly, Vijay Singh and Seve Ballesteros which will be played on July 19th - the day after the British Open - to mark the official opening of The Heritage Golf & Country Club in Killenard, Co Laois.

By then, of course, all that could have changed as the US Open and the British Open will have taken place.

Nevertheless, the opening of the new course - designed by Ballesteros in conjunction with Jeff Howes - will play host to some of the biggest names in professional golf with Daly, Singh and Ballesteros holding nine major titles between them.

Singh, the world number two, who has significantly closed the gap on Tiger Woods in the official rankings since the start of the season, was a regular visitor to Ireland in his fledgling days on the European Tour.

A winner of the US PGA in 1998 and the US Masters in 2000, the Fijian is currently playing the best golf of his career which saw him win four times on the US Tour last season on the way to topping the money list.

Ballesteros, a five-time major champion, has won over 90 tournaments worldwide in a professional career that has spanned three decades. His last major win came in the 1988 British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes, but he has remained one of the most charismatic figures in the game, and holds a special place in the hearts of Irish golf fans as the winner of three Irish Open titles.

Daly, meanwhile, last played here in the 1997 Irish Open at Druids Glen and has enjoyed a return to form this season, highlighted by his win in the Buick Invitational on the US Tour in February.

The four players have committed to the official opening of the Co Laois course on the day following the British Open at Royal Troon. The format for the ticket-only event will see them conduct a clinic followed by a challenge match involving the four players.

"I truly believe the Heritage will be recognised as a leading venue for international golf," insisted Ballesteros, in announcing the challenge.

Next year's AIB Irish seniors' Open will be held there.