The London Club’s general manager Heath Harvey is delighted they have been given the opportunity to host the European Open which starts tomorrow.

The pressure is on the club to live up to the standards set by the tournament’s setting for the past 13 years, Ireland’s celebrated Ryder Cup venue, the K Club

Mr Harvey said: “The London Club has matched the European Tour’s criteria in terms of location, facilities, attracting corporate hospitality and potential gate receipts.

“We look forward to welcoming some of the world’s top professionals for what will surely be the county’s largest sporting event of the year.”

The London Club boasts two championship courses, the Heritage and the International, and the tournament will be played on the 7,257-yard, par-72 Heritage course, a layout designed by American legend Jack Nicklaus. The course has already proved its worth by staging the London Seniors Masters.

“Hosting the European Open allows the course to live up to Jack Nicklaus’ original vision,” added Mr Harvey.

“I have never seen the golf course looking as good as it does now and it will provide a formidable challenge.

“Nicklaus designs holes that offer golfers risk-and-reward situations, so there will be opportunities for the golfers to score well.

“If the winds are low then I would expect the scoring to be good and we must not lose sight of the fact that the paying public want to see the world’s best golfers scoring birdies.

“Some of the long grasses are three or four feet high, but there is plenty of room before golfers reach the jungle. We are not looking to make idiots out of anyone.”

Owners of the London Club, the Bendinat Group, have made a multi-million pound investment in the club since taking over four-and-a-half years ago, laying new drainage systems, renewing all greenkeeping machinery and planting 10,000 trees every year.