Nine members of Europe's victorious Ryder Cup team, plus captain Sam Torrance, can expect a hero's welcome when they tee off in the Stg£3 million dunhill links championship in Scotland tomorrow.
All bar Sergio Garcia, Bernhard Langer and Jesper Parnevik are playing in the event won last year by Paul Lawrie, who edged out Ernie Els in dramatic fashion by holing a 40-foot birdie putt from the Valley of Sin at St Andrews.
Once again the pro-am tournament - forced into a fifth day on its inaugural staging because of foul weather - takes place not only over the Old Course, but additionally Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.
It also features a host of celebrities from sport and entertainment.
Lee Westwood, for instance, partners tennis legend Boris Becker; Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn are with ex-soccer internationals Ruud Gullit, Alan Hansen and Gary Lineker respectively; Niclas Fasth with Sir Steve Redgrave; and Phillip Price with fellow Welshman Gareth Edwards, the former rugby scrum-half.
With a first prize of over £500,000 this is an important, possibly decisive, week in the European Order of Merit title race.
Not that any of Torrance's side are favourites to win it at the moment. South Africans Retief Goosen, winner last year, and Els are separated by less than £8,000 at the top, but are over £500,000 clear of third-placed Padraig Harrington.
A total of 168 teams of one professional and one amateur contest the first three rounds - one each at the three courses.
The field is then reduced to the top 60 professionals and leading 20 teams for the final round over the Old Course.
Not one of the United States Ryder Cup team have stayed on, but in addition to Els and Goosen overseas stars include Fiji's Vijay Singh, Australian Steve Elkington - one of those beaten in the Open play-off by Els at Muirfield in July - and 18-year-old American Ty Tryon.
Last December Tryon became the youngest player ever to qualify for the US Tour, but he was not allowed to take up full membership until his 18th birthday in June.
He made the halfway cut in the Honda Classic in Florida last season when he was just 16 years nine months.
Australian Brett Rumford and three-handicapper Chris Peacock, from nearby RAF Leuchars, are back to defend the team title they took ahead of Welsh rookie Jamie Donaldson and England cricket captain Nasser Hussain.
No event on the European tour received more press criticism last year - the weather did not help, of course, but there was also controversy over some of the handicaps - and the sponsors deliberated before deciding to continue.
They will be keeping their fingers crossed that things go more smoothly this time.