THE CELTIC Manor is home from home for Welsh golf professional Richard Dinsdale. Used to travelling the world on the Challenge Tour, at home Dinsdale is based just ten minutes from the first tee of the Wentwood Hills championship course.

Tomorrow, the Newport golfer will make his third appearance at the Wales Open and is delighted to be doing so.

"Playing on home ground is always special," said Dinsdale. "It's not an easy course and you have to play intelligently, but that's part of the fun. "There are some beautiful views wherever you turn and I am really looking forward to being back at The Wales Open."

Dinsdale comes into the event having had something of a mixed season. His two best finishes so far this year on the tour have come in Europe where he finished 11th at the Austrian Golf Open, and 12th at the Aa St Omer Open in France.

Two years ago, he had his most successful season to date, claiming the PGA of Europe title in Sardinia and the Welsh Professional Championship at the Vale of Glamorgan. In tomorrow's first round, the Welshman will tee-off at 3.30pm alongside Scotland's Marc Warren and Robert Coles of England.

Dinsdale's fellow countrymen David Park, who has been promoting the Wales Open on this season's European Tour, and Mark Pilkington are the first of the Welsh contingent to tee-off.

They will accompany Sweden's Patrik Sjoland in the eighth group out at 8.20am. Blackwood's Bradley Dredge follows soon after in what could prove to be one of the matches of the morning groups as he plays alongside Ryder Cup star and pre-tournament favourite Darren Clarke.

Dredge is currently 22nd in the European Tour's Volvo Order of Merit, while Clarke, who won this year's English Open at the Forest of Arden, is one of 11 European Tour winners playing in tomorrow's event.

Englishmen Malcolm Mackenzie makes up the group. Clarke's fellow Ryder Cup member Phil Price has a late start to his Wales Open bid. The Bassaleg-based golfer is grouped with his Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance, and young Northern Ireland starlet Graeme McDowell who won in startling fashion in Sweden last weekend by landing the Scandinavian Masters title.

Entry to the tournament is £15 daily or £30 for a season ticket.