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The Volvo Masters celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with the announcement that the European Tour's season finale with continue at Club de Golf Valderrama for at least a further three years until 2010, tour officials have announced.

The season-ending event on the European Tour has been played at Valderrama since 1988. The 2007 edition is set for Nov. 1-4, when both the tournament champion and the season-long European Tour Order of Merit will be decided. The defending tournament champion is Jeev Milkha Singh, while Padraig Harrington is the reigning Order of Merit winner.

MR. BIG SHOT: Mikko Ilonen's tee shot on the testing 236-yard 15th hole, on his way to his maiden European Tour victory in the Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesia Open, has been recognized as the European Tour Shot of the Month for February.

Having taken the lead on the previous hole, Ilonen was faced with a tee shot on the 15th to a tight pin position on a green surrounded by water. The 27-year-old Finn fired a rescue club straight at the flag, the ball coming to rest 12 feet from the pin. Two putts for a par 3 gave him the platform to go on to become the first Finnish golfer to win on the European Tour.

The European Tour Shot of the Month Award is presented to the Tour Member for the shot judged to be the most outstanding played during each calendar month on the European Tour. The winner in January was South Africa's Retief Goosen, and the winning shots from each month are entered toward the European Tour Shot of the Year.

TAKING ADARE: The European Tour has signed an agreement to bring the Irish Open to the Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort in County Limerick for the next three years. The 2007 edition of the tournament is set for May 17-20.

In addition, the Irish Open has signed sponsorship agreements with Failte Ireland, McInerney, Michael McNamara & Company, Roadbridge and Pallas Foods. Audi Ireland, Limerick County Council, Rolex and Shannon Development all come on board as Official Sponsors, and Brown Thomas, Cutter & Buck, Dooley Car Rentals, Philips, Ricoh and Waterford Crystal are on board as Official Suppliers.

The tournament will offer a $2.5 million purse, an increase of $300,000 from last year. Tournament organizers have pledged to raise the purse over the three-year span of the agreement.

Adare Manor has previously hosted the the JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am, the AIB Irish Seniors Open and the Women's World Cup of Golf.

CLARKE IS HONORED: Darren Clarke has been selected to receive an honorary degree from the Queen's University Belfast in his native Northern Ireland in recognition of his services to professional golf.

Clarke has played a significant role in the last five Ryder Cups, helping Europe to four victories over the United States in the biennial competition.

A winner of 10 European Tour titles, including the 2000 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, where he defeated world No. 1 Tiger Woods in the final, Clarke is a hugely popular figure throughout the world of golf, having won tournaments in Africa, America and Asia as well as Europe.

His services to the game have earned him a place alongside the likes of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and MRI pioneer Sir Peter Mansfield, who will also be awarded honorary degrees in a ceremony to take place in July at Queen's University.

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