Club Pro playing in an Open comp

Don't think he can play, but open to correction. As you say he doesn't have a handicap and would have to be given one. It's an amateur comp and he's a professional.

Oh, didn't know that, didn't think you could have a handicap as a professional

I think it was introduced as part of WHS. However it still wouldn't entitle them to play in an amateur competition

Why wouldn't a club want a professional with a WHS playing in an open team event? How could it not be a good thing?

Don't think Mcginley has ever played in a normal weekly comp since turning pro, not sure on Harrington.

I think marquee names having an arrangement with their local club to play an open comp is ok (McDowell has or certainly had an arrangement with Rathmore GC) but the idea of a pro randomly teeing it up in an amateur competition would surely be unusual? The Tuesdays in Portmarnock Links does see pros play amateurs but the format is well known by competitors and strokes off the blues in winter tends to keep scoring modest all around.