HARTFORD – The Greater Hartford Open will have an international appeal this year as professional golfers Alex Cejka, Aaron Baddeley, Per-Ulrik Johansson, David Smail and Carl Pettersson have all committed to play in 2003.

All but Smail are currently PGA Tour members.

Previously announced commitments include two time defending champion Phil Mickelson, John Daly, Mark Calcavecchia, Suzy Whaley and New England natives Brad Faxon, Billy Andrade, Ken Green and Brett Quigley.

“We are excited to have some great young international stars and some proven European Tour stars join us at the 2003 GHO,” said Tournament Director Dan Baker. “The PGA Tour is where all of the best players in the world want to compete and we are fortunate to get so many of the best players to come to New England and Hartford. Baddeley and Pettersson are likely to be stars for years to come and we look forward to developing a strong relationship with them at the GHO.”

Baddeley, 22, won the 1999 Australian Open as an 18 year old amateur and then came back and defended his Australian Open title in 2000 as a 19 year old professional. Baddeley is arguably the second best professional golfer in the world under the age of 25. His other wins include the 2001 Greg Norman Holden International. In 1999 Baddeley was the first amateur to receive a special invitation to the Masters since 1976. Baddeley has won $739,500 in 2003 on the PGA Tour, his best finish coming at the Sony Open in Hawaii where he lost an exciting playoff to Ernie Els. He also finished sixth at the Bay Hill Invitational.

Cejka, 33, has four European Tour victories to his credit, including three in 1995: the prestigious Volvo Masters, the Turespana Open and the Hohe Brucke Open. Cejka made a strong comeback in 2002 by winning another prestigious event on the European Tour, the Trophy Lancome.

Johansson, 36, has won over $1.5 million on the PGA Tour and over 2.6 million pounds on the European Tour. He joined the PGA Tour in 2001 after winning five times on the European Tour from 1991 to 1997. He represented Europe on two Ryder Cup teams in 1995 and 1997.

Smail, 33, has won two events on the Japan Tour, the 2002 Japan Open and the 2002 Casio Open. He also won the Canon Challenge in Australia and the New Zealand Open in 2001 on the Australasian Tour. Smail, a native of New Zealand, competed in the 2001 Canon GHO as a result of his win in that year’s Canon Challenge.

Pettersson, 25, has won more than $700,000 this year on the 2003 PGA Tour. His best finish in his 2003 rookie year has been a second-place finish to Tiger Woods at the Buick Invitational. in February. Pettersson ranks only behind Aaron Baddeley in money earnings Pettersson, a native of Gothenburg, Sweden, competed full-time on the European Tour in 2001 and 2002 where he showed early promise by winning the 2002 Algarve Open de Portugal in a playoff and finishing second at the 2001 Open de Argentina. He also finished 43rd at the British Open last year in Muirfield, Scotland. Pettersson was a star at NC State University and currently resides in Raleigh, NC. Pettersson will be making his first start at the GHO.

Tickets for the Greater Hartford Open are currently on sale and may be purchased by calling 1-877-GHO-2003 or by logging onto the Official Website of the GHO at www.ghogolf.com. Spectators can save an average of 20% by purchasing tickets in advance. Advance prices are available through July 20.

In addition, supporters and fans of the Greater Hartford Open are encouraged to make donations to the GHO when they purchase their tickets. Donations of $20 or more to the GHO are tax-deductible and each donator will receive a PGA Tour “Giving Back” pin to show their support of charity and golf. All proceeds will go to support grants and scholarships in the Greater Hartford Community.

Fans can also call in to the 877-GHO-2003 number and ask to buy tickets to see Suzy Whalley play. The first 1,000 “Suzy” tickets that are sold to fans indicating they are coming to see Suzy play will help out Junior Golf ($10 each from the first 1,000 tickets will be donated to the Connecticut Section PGA Golf Foundation to promote junior golf in Connecticut).

The Greater Hartford Open, New England’s premier sporting event, is one of the PGA Tour’s most well attended events, typically drawing more than 300,000 spectators each year. The Tournament has raised more than $23 million for Hartford area charities since it’s inception in 1952.

The Greater Hartford Open is the sole fundraiser of the Greater Hartford Jaycees. The Jaycees channel those funds back into the community to improve the lives of those most in need by feeding the hungry, building affordable housing, helping children and much more. The Greater Hartford Jaycees is an organization of approximately 600 volunteers, ages 21-39, which promotes leadership training through community service.

For more information about sponsorship opportunities or to become a volunteer for the 2003 GHO, please call the Tournament Office at 860-522-4171.