Golf's World Number 4 Hideki Matsuyama has been added to the field for next month's Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Portstewart.
It will mark the first time the WGC HSBC Champions event winner will play a regular series tournament on the European Tour.
He is the third player in the world's current Top 10 to enter this year's Irish Open, joining host Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm.
Matsuyama will use the tournament to prepare for the British Open major tournament.
"It is important to play some links golf ahead of The Open Championship and I’m sure Portstewart will be the perfect preparation for me," he told the European Tour website.
"I know Rory puts a lot into this tournament and he has done an incredible job raising its profile. I’m really excited and I know it will be a great week."
The 2017 Irish Open takes place between July 6th and 9th at Portstewart Golf Course in Co Derry, Northern Ireland, while The Open Championship takes place at Royal Birkdale a week later.
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