Keep an eye out for these US veterans as they play golf and head from Rosapenna to Carne, Mount Falcon Estate, Enniscrone, the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Galway and the Galway Bay Golf Resort, all with the support of Failte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, over the next few days.
Rory McIlroy might be box office but the Irish Open still needs a commitment from the Irish Government to ensure that event builds on the momentum of what promises to be an 80,000 sell out at Royal County Down next May.
The Irish Open in Killarney looks set to be an even bigger success this year. Pic: www.golffile.ieKillarney’s Killeen Course will be a tougher prospect for Rory McIlroy and Co. this time around when it hosts “The Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland” from July 28-31.
It’s bad news for the players ahead of an event that has seen its prize fund slashed in half - to just €1.5m - following the exodus of title sponsors “3” last year.
But the good news is that European Tour and Failte Ireland will bear the €3m-plus prize money and staging costs and ride out the storm ahead of what they hope will be a new, three-year title sponsorship announcement next season.
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Ireland looks likely to survive the cash crisis and stage a hat-trick tour events this season.
Challenge Tour marketing executive Mark Aspland confirmed yesterday that he was "very hopeful" that the Challenge of Ireland would go ahead in July despite the economic gloom.
And it also emerged that Failte Ireland is planning to invest in the Irish Seniors Open again in addition to its announced support for the 3 Irish Open in Killarney.
BallybunionThe Irish Seniors Open is facing a slow, agonising death if we are to judge by the words and actions of the European Senior Tour and Failte Ireland.
With the ailing event conspicuous by its absence from the slim-line 2010 European Senior Tour schedule that was released on Tuesday, a call to the undertaker is in order unless a money tree shoots up outside Failte Ireland headquarters.
