THE EUROPEAN TOUR announced its schedule for next year yesterday.
But the Irish Open was omitted from the list.
The tournament has been hosted in Killarney for the past two years and though it remains without a title sponsor this time around, US Open champion Rory McIlroy has already committed to playing, thus boosting the profile of the event.
RTÉ report that an announcement will now be made today about the venue for 2012 – and the Kingdom is said to lose the marquee date.
Carton House in Co Kildare will instead be awarded the Open. The exclusive resort – often home to Ireland’s rugby players when in camp – hosted the tournament twice before; in 2005 and ’06.
Next year’s event has been moved to the weekend of 28 June because of concerns of clashing with the London Olympics.
Last year, Englishman Simon Dyson took home the trophy.