Irish Open (golf)
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland |
| Established | 1927 |
| Course(s) | Royal Portrush Golf Club |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,143 yards (6,532 m) |
| Tour(s) | European Tour |
| Format | Stroke play - 72 holes |
| Prize fund | €1.5 million (2011) |
| Month played | June/July |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 266 Colin Montgomerie (2001) 266 Ross Fisher (2010) |
| To par | -21 Christy O'Connor Jnr (1975) -21 Bernhard Langer (1984) |
| Current champion | |
 Simon Dyson |
|
The Irish Open is a professional golf tournament on the European Tour, currently played at the end of June or early July.
The 72-hole event has been played in many locations on the island; it was last played at the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club in County Kerry in southwestern Ireland in 2011. The event will return to Northern Ireland in 2012 for the first time since 1953 and will be held in County Antrim at Royal Portrush Golf Club, which last hosted in 1947.[1] The 2013 tournament is scheduled for County Kildare at Carton House, which hosted the event in 2005 and 2006. The Irish Open was first played in 1927 and continued until 1950, when the tournament experienced financial problems. Except for a single event, held in 1953, there was a 25-year hiatus until the Irish Open returned in 1975.
The Irish Open was formerly played the week prior to the European Tour's "home tournament," the BMW PGA Championship. For 2010, the tournament was moved to July 29 – August 1. The event's 2005 rating in the Official World Golf Rankings system was high enough for the winner to qualify for the WGC-NEC Invitational. As of 2011, it is the only European Tour event played in Ireland. The European Open, held at the K Club in Straffan for thirteen years (1995–2007), moved to its new home near London in 2008.
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[edit] Recent sponsorship
Following the departure of Nissan as title sponsor in 2006, Adare Golf Club, part of the Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort in County Limerick, had planned to host the tournament for three years, from 2007 to 2009. After two years, it was announced in January 2009 that they could no longer sustain the losses incurred by hosting the event for a third year. In early March, the European Tour confirmed the national championship would return to County Louth Golf Club, Baltray, which had last hosted in 2004, with a new sponsor, 3 Mobile.[2]
Under 3 Mobile, the purse was increased to €3 million. The event moved to Killarney in 2010, but the company elected not to continue past 2010, which again left the Irish Open sponsorless and cancellation was probable. Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority of the Republic of Ireland, agreed to sponsor in 2011, but with a drastically reduced purse, cut in half to €1.5 million.[3]
[edit] Winners
*(a) indicates an amateur golfer, prize money awarded to top professional
Pre-revival of Irish Open name, and European Tour sanctioning
[edit] Multiple winners
| Rank | Name | # Wins | Last Win |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Christy O'Connor Snr |
4 | 1972 |
| 2 |  Colin Montgomerie |
3 | 2001 |
| 2 |  Bernhard Langer |
3 | 1994 |
| 2 | Nick Faldo |
3 | 1993 |
| 2 |  Seve Ballesteros |
3 | 1986 |
| 6 | Sam Torrance |
2 | 1995 |
| 6 |  Ian Woosnam |
2 | 1989 |
| 6 | Mark James |
2 | 1980 |
| 6 | Neil Coles |
2 | 1971 |
| 6 | Harry Bradshaw |
2 | 1949 |
| 6 | Ernest Whitcombe |
2 | 1935 |
| 6 | Bob Kenyon |
2 | 1931 |
[edit] Future venues
| Year | Venue | County | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Royal Portrush | Antrim | Ulster |
| 2013 | Carton House | Kildare | Leinster |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ BBC.co.uk - news - Northern Ireland - Royal Portrush to host golf's Irish Open - 2012-01-06
- ^ "Irish Open prize money increased". BBC Sport. 4 March 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/7924684.stm. Retrieved 2009-03-06.
- ^ Irish Times.com – "Purse is down but Rory will be there" – 2011-06-29
- ^ European Tour.com – player results – accessed 2011-07-28
- ^ Irish golf desk.com – accessed 2011-07-28
[edit] External links
- Unofficial Guide to the Open
- European Tour.com - tournament microsite - 2012 Irish Open - Royal Portrush
- Royal Portrush Golf Club - official site
- European Tour.com - 2011 Irish Open - Killarney
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