THE IRISH OPEN is set to be played at Lahinch Golf Club in 2019.
For the first time in its 91-year history, the European Tour event will be hosted by the County Clare course next year from 4-7 July.
The decision was announced this afternoon following consultations with the tournament’s host, Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley, sponsors Dubai Duty Free and local stakeholders.
While Rory McIlroy’s charity, the Rory Foundation, has acted as host since 2015, McGinley will take over as part of a rotation system along with Major winners Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell over the next five years.
“Lahinch is one of Ireland’s truly iconic links golf courses and I am delighted to be taking the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open there,” said Dubliner McGinley. “Embedded in the history of Irish amateur golf, as well as in the hearts of our many international visitors, it now deservedly gets the opportunity to showcase itself on the world stage.
“We are very proud of our great links courses in Ireland and Lahinch has evolved to rank as one of the very best. It will challenge some of the game’s best players to produce skill, creativity and a mindset rarely tested in professional tournaments.
The club and the community have left no stone unturned in embracing the idea of hosting the tournament and I look forward to working with them over the next 14 months to put in place a tournament that will honour a great venue, town and people in what is a stunning part of the Irish southwestern coastline.”
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, added: “I am delighted to announce today that the 2019 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open will be played at Lahinch Golf Club, continuing our desire to take the tournament to Ireland’s great links.
“We extend our grateful thanks to everyone at the golf club, the local authorities in County Clare and everyone in the south west of Ireland for coming together to make this happen. The tournament is one of the great and historic events on the European Tour, raised to a new level in recent times by the commitment of our title sponsor Dubai Duty Free and its Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Colm McLoughlin, alongside the support of our own Rory McIlroy in recent years.
“Now the hosting baton has been handed over to Paul McGinley and it would be remiss of me not to mention the hard and meticulous work that he has personally put in throughout this selection process. We look forward to working with him, and everyone involved with the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, in 2019.”
- Originally published at 12.38
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