Golf fanatic Premier Dr. Ewart Brown will have more than just a passing interest in the 89th PGA Championship, with the winner securing a place at the PGA Grand Slam to be held in Bermuda.

And Dr. Brown, a self-confessed Tiger Woods admirer, has made the journey to the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to cheer on the world number one, who could complete the elite foursome who will compete at the Mid-Ocean Club from October 16 to 17 ¿ the first time the tournament has been held outside the US.

Woods has already won the PGA Championship, which runs from today until Sunday, on three occasions including last year's tournament. He was the highest paid professional athlete in 2006, having earned an estimated $100 million from winnings and endorsements.

Last year at the age of 30, he won his eleventh and twelfth professional major championships and has more wins on the PGA Tour than any other active golfer.

Padraig Harrington was the last player to book his place at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf following his triumph in The Open Championship at Carnoustie last month.

Harrington, became the first Irish winner of The Open Championship since Fred Daly in 1947, clinching the title in a tense four-hole play-off with Sergio Garcia of Spain.

The 31-year-old, who is ranked sixth in the world, also became the first European to win a major since Paul Lawrie won the same tournament in 1999.

He has won tournaments on the European tour and PGA Tour and is the only player in the world to have been partnered with Woods in a tournament five or more times and to outscore him.

Harrington has a 68.83 average in six rounds, compared with Woods' average score of 69.50. The rest of the world's top players averaged over 70.

Angel Cabrera, became the second first-time qualifier into the PGA Grand Slam of Golf last month, joining fellow first-time qualifier Masters Champion Zach Johnson by winning his first major championship at the 2007 US Open at Oakmont near Pittsburgh.

He finished the tournament at five-over, topping Woods and Jim Furyk by one stroke.

A year ago all three of golf's most recent champions were not exactly stars or household names, and there is no doubt tournament organisers will have their fingers crossed Woods ¿ one of the most famous sportsmen in the world ¿ qualifies for the event.

His presence would increase the already massive interest in the tournament and guarentee box office viewing figures and draw in the crowds.

But while Johnson, Cabrera and Harrington, a self-proclaimed journeyman, do not have the same pull as Woods their unforeseen recent rise has certainly caught the imagination of the golfing world.

"I know people back home, especially when they hear me announced ¿ from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 2007 Masters champion ¿ they take it to heart. They take pride in it," said Johnson.

"I'm not changing," he added. "I'm still in jeans and T-shirts and shorts, whatever. Just to be in that fraternity and have that title, more or less at least for this year, is very, very special."

Cabrera's victory was considered a huge thing for Argentina, a country that had not celebrated a major golf champion in 40 years previous to his win at Oakmont.

"It's very difficult for Argentinian golfers to achieve good things, to get to the PGA Tour or the European tour without the help of another professional golfer," said Cabrera, known as "El Pato" or "The Duck" because of his trademark waddles down the fairway, often with a cigarette in hand.

"There's not much help other than what another golfer can provide."

David Charles, director of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, told the Royal Gazette last month that he was pleased with the excitement and energy the PGA Grand Slam of Golf was creating in Bermuda.

He added if ticket sales were any indication, it was clear there were many golf enthusiasts on the Island looking forward to experiencing the toughest tournament in the world to qualify for.

In July the Royal Gazette reported that tickets had doubled from last year's sales, justifying the PGA's decision to hold the much-anticipated tournament in Bermuda..

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf is the world's most exclusive golf tournament. It is an annual off-season golf event contested by the year's winners of the four major championships of regular men's golf, which are The Masters, the US Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship.

The tournament has been staged since 1979 with a couple of short breaks and is a two-day, 36-hole strokeplay competition.