Prize money for this year's Murphy's Irish Open, to be played at Fota Island on June 28th to July 1st, will be £1,260,000 - an increase of £80,000 on last year. And the sponsors further announced yesterday that the field will include Scottish Ryder Cup partners, Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie.

When Patrik Sjoland captured the title at Ballybunion last year, he received £197,000 from a prize fund of £1,180,000 (1.5 million euros).

Meanwhile, the return of Montgomerie, who missed last year's event, is to be welcomed given his status as the champion at Druids Glen in 1996 and 1997. Defending champion, Sjoland will be accompanied by fellow Swede Henrik Stenson, who gained a European Tour breakthrough victory in the Benson and Hedges International at The Belfry last Sunday.

Three weeks before the closing date for entries, Thomas Bjorn is also in the lineup along with recent tournament winners Phillip Price, Ian Poulter and Robert Karlsson and the gifted young Australian, Adam Scott.