COLIN Montgomerie is set to confirm his entry for this month's Celtic Manor Wales Open, the Argus understands.

Monty, the eight-times European number one, is back from his Venice honeymoon after being away from the European Tour for five weeks, saying he intends playing in eight of the next nine official events and is targeting two wins.

He has a dual aim of regaining his place in the world's top 50 - he has now slipped to 74th - and retaining a place in the Ryder Cup team later this year.

Though nothing has been confirmed yet he is expected to be at the Wales Open, especially considering the special relationship he has with the Celtic Manor where one of the three courses is named after him.

The highest profile entry so far, with respect to Monty, is Irishman Padraig Harrington, the Open champion, keen to get a first taste of the course, being played on for the first time in the Wales Open and host to the 2010 Ryder Cup.

Among the other entries are Swedish Ryder Cup pair Robert Karlsson and Niclas Fasth. Karlsson broke the European Tour 36 and 54 holes record at the 2006 Wales Open, though the par on the Roman Road course was a mere' 69, when he posted 124 for the first two rounds and 189 for the first three. He also seven European Tour wins to his name.

Fasth, with six European Tour wins under his belt, came second in the Open Championship in 2001 and fourth in the US Open last year.

Young German Martin Kaymer will also be at the Celtic Manor after winning the Abu Dhabi Championship this year and coming second in the Dubai Desert Classic, lifting him to 21st in the world rankings, the only player under 25 in the top 50.

Other notable entrants for the Wales Open include Graeme McDowell, Italian Open winner in 2004, former winner Paul Lawrie, Anders Hansen, Jeev Milkha Singh, who played in last month's US Masters, Mikko Ilonen, Raphael Jacquelin, Gregory Havret, Ross Fisher, Jean Van de Velde, Paul Broadhurst, Thomas Levet and Oliver Wilson.

Welsh entries are Gwent pair Bradley Dredge and Phillip Price, Stephen Dodd, Garry Houston, Jamie Donaldson, Stuart Manley and Sion Bebb.

l The Celtic Manor is offering local golfers the chance to play the new course this summer in the Celtic Challenge with a first prize for the winning pair of a season ticket to attend every day of the 2010 Ryder Cup.

The winner at every qualifying event will scoop a fourball package to return to play the Twenty Ten course and enjoy a gourmet dinner as well as a luxury overnight stay for four at the five-star hotel.

The runners-up will receive a fourball package to play the Roman Road or new Montgomerie course and enjoy an overnight stay for four in the Manor House at the Celtic Manor.

Qualifying events will be held on June 4,12 and 19, July 2 and 30 and August 7 and 13. The competition format is is fourball betterball stableford.