Portrush receives a Major welcome from all

IN ONE fell swoop, the European Tour – to widespread endorsement from Major winners and regular tour players alike – has taken away any uncertainty about the immediate future of the Irish Open by confirming Royal Portrush as this year’s venue and Carton House, Maynooth, Co Kildare, as the host course for 2013.

As Darren Clarke, the British Open champion, acknowledged at yesterday’s confirmation, the changed political climate in Northern Ireland – as much as the unprecedented successes of the region’s golfers on the international stage – was a significant factor in enabling the historic championship return to the North for the first time since 1953.

Not surprisingly, Clarke and 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell led the chorus of approval in the awarding of the Irish Open to the world-acclaimed Dunluce links at Portrush.

“I know every inch of this course and can vouch for its quality . . . the decision to come here reflects the amazing run this relatively small golf community has had (in the Majors) in the last couple of years,” said Clarke.

Naturally, all three of Northern Ireland’s Major champions – Clarke, McDowell and current US Open champion and world number three Rory McIlroy – have confirmed their participation, while three-time Major champion Pádraig Harrington added his vote of approval by declaring it his “favourite course” anywhere in the world.

McIlroy said: “The course holds great memories for me, from watching my dad (Gerry) play in the North of Ireland there as a toddler to playing in it myself as a 15-year-old and shooting a course record 61. It’s a superb set-up and players new to the course are going to love it.”

Of all the players, though, McDowell, who learnt the game on the links, is the one most familiar with its nuances and charms.

“The Irish Open is a hugely important event for me and to play that event in Portrush is going to make it extra special . . . it has always been a dream of mine to play a big event, be it an Open championship or a European Tour event at Royal Portrush.

“I am going to be very proud to have the European Tour come to the town where I learned to play. It is probably one of the best set-ups of a links golf course in the world.”

With an increased prize fund – up €500,000 to a minimum €2 million – for the tournament on June 28th-July 1st, the expectation is that a quality field will be assembled, especially given its slot in the calendar just three weeks before the British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

It is believed the Northern Ireland executive is contributing over €2.5 million in funding in bringing the Irish Open to the North for the first time since it was staged at Belvoir Park in Belfast in 1953, the commitment from the Stormont assembly enabling Portrush to make a late charge past Carton House to stage the event this year.

In confirming Carton House as the venue for 2013, although not which of the O’Meara or Montgomerie courses, the European Tour has also given much needed stability to future events and it could well be that a rota system – involving courses North and South – might prove to be the way forward for a tournament still searching for a title sponsor.