Ranked 22nd and 24th in the world respectively – and with combined European tour earnings of over £20m (€27m) – Montgomerie and Clarke are both back at a happy hunting ground for the clash.

Montgomerie, who made a late decision to play after missing the halfway cut in the Wales Open last week, won the event at the midlands course in 1998, a year after setting a course record of 63 which still stands.

Clarke, meanwhile, captured two of his three English Open crowns on the same lay-out and 12 months ago – in his last win anywhere – was never headed after opening with a 65 and triumphed by three shots.

“There’s nowhere where my record is as good – but I can’t explain why,” said the Irishman.

Teeing off with the pair will be Spaniard Ignacio Garrido, making his first appearance since winning the Volvo PGA championship at Wentworth.

“When everyone is expecting a lot from you it is not that easy to play,” he commented.

“I could shoot 67-67, but I might shoot 77-77. If I do, though, I will still have a smile.

“This week is not that important to me to be honest – I am looking more in the long term.

“I am still changing my swing and I haven’t forgotten about that. If I started thinking about results I would forget about the swing and I would lose it. If the results keep coming fantastic, but if they don’t then it doesn’t matter.

“I had a plan for this year to get into the Volvo Masters comfortably (Europe’s top 60 qualify for that) and maybe a couple of top 10s. That has been achieved with a big margin, so I don’t really care what happens now.

“I thought I would be for one reason or another – world ranking or Order of Merit – but it did not happen and I’m not really bothered about it because it might have been too soon,” said Garrido.

“I’m happy having a bit more time to prepare for those big tournaments and see how my game develops.”

The other group likely to attract a large following when the £1.5million event begins is that featuring defending champion Justin Rose, Ian Poulter and Ian Woosnam.

Poulter was runner-up to Rose after a terrific battle at Woburn last season and on Sunday won the Wales Open at Celtic Manor.

Rose, who will join Clarke on a private jet to the States on Sunday night, said: “Ian and I had a great ding-dong and it’s going to be fun – I haven’t been paired with him much before.

“Earlier in the year I looked at this as a date that didn’t really suit me, but the way the course is set up with firm greens and thick rough it’s decent preparation for the US Open.

“It’s also a tournament that’s very special to me. It’s the one tournament I won in front of my dad (before he died of leukaemia three months later) and we have a photo in the house of all of us with the trophy.

“Happy memories. Happy photo. It’s a happy part of the house.”

The only other US Open-bound player following the withdrawals of Thomas Bjorn and Fredrik Jacobson is Londoner Brian Davis, who has flown back to Britain after qualifying in America on Monday.