A DONE deal, probably overdue, and one which will again showcase Royal Portrush’s coastal beauty on a worldwide stage: the Irish Open will be held at the famed Co Antrim links on June 28th-July 1st.
The Irish Open was last staged in Northern Ireland in 1953, at Belvoir Park in Belfast.
Major champions Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell will be acting in ambassadorial roles in an attempt to attract a quality international field.
In returning to the cliff top links on the Causeway coast, the Irish Open – albeit a tournament still without a title sponsor and to be bankrolled by tourism bodies North and South and by the European Tour itself – is set to fulfil a further role in setting out Portrush’s case to return to the rota as a British Open venue.
The earliest that can possibly happen is 2016, as Open dates up to St Andrews in 2015 have been determined, but it could require a number of successful stagings of the Irish Open to gain the approval of the RA.
For now, though, this will do. Official confirmation that Portrush – which last played host to the tournament in 1947, when Harry Bradshaw triumphed – will stage the tournament will be delivered at a press conference at the club this afternoon at which Clarke, the current holder of the Claret Jug, will attend.
The Irish Open was successfully held at Killarney for the past two years and it was expected either Carton House or Killeen Castle, venue for the Solheim Cup last September, were the frontrunners to stage this year’s event.
In that regard, Portrush has scooped them and the timing of this year’s event, three weeks before the British Open at Royal Lytham St Annes, should prove helpful in attracting a quality field.
It had been thought Royal Portrush was chasing the 2013 Irish Open when it was included as one of 74 commitments made as part of the Stormont assembly’s draft programme for government 2011-15 late last year.
However, negotiations between the tour, Fáilte Ireland and the North’s Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment resulted in an agreement to bring the tournament back to the North this summer for the first time since it was staged in 1953.
This could also be the start of a new policy to alternate the Irish Open between the North and the Republic, as golf is governed on an all-island basis. The North has a long history with the Irish Open: it has been staged at Belvoir Park, Malone, Royal County Down and Royal Portrush in the past.
In terms of timing, this move could not have been better choreographed. Northern Ireland is home to two of golf’s current major champions – US Open champion Rory McIlroy and British Open holder Clarke. McDowell, who is from Portrush, won the 2010 US Open.
Clarke and McDowell have welcomed the return of the Irish Open to Portrush.
“Fantastic news on the Irish Open 2012 coming to Royal Portrush,” McDowell told his Twitter followers. “Always been a dream of mine to play a top event in my home town.”
Clarke urged golf fans to pack the fairways in June. “Royal Portrush will be awesome for the Irish Open this year . . . it’s as good a test as we play anywhere!” he tweeted. “Brilliant news. Big crowds please!!!”
