Irish Open to head north with Galgorm Castle the preferred venue

The 12th at Galgorm Castle. Photo: Kevin Markham

The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open looks set to be held in Northern Ireland the week after the US Open from September 24-27.

Originally scheduled for Mount Juliet from May 28-31, the event was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic in March and now appears likely to be played at Galgorm Castle Spa & Golf Resort near Ballymena.

While efforts were made to take the event to Co Kilkenny and a move to the Old Head of Kinsale was briefly considered, the Government’s COVID-19 restrictions have forced the European Tour to look north according to multiple sources.

With as many as 40 European Tour stars set to play in the US Open at Winged Foot from September 17-20, the requirement by the Irish government that all visitors from the US restrict their movements for 14 days would have decimated the field.

Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort 

By heading to Northern Ireland, players such as Shane Lowry and the tournament host Graeme McDowell would be able to travel directly to a UK airport and tee it up in one of the European Tour’s flagship events.

Rory McIlroy appears certain to miss a trip home, having said in Memphis 10 days ago that he is reluctant to take unnecessary risks with COVID-19.

“I don't know,” he said when asked about the Irish Open in Memphis less than a fortnight ago. “I don't know if I want to travel, I don't know if I want to be exposed to more things and more people.”

While the move has yet to be confirmed by the European Tour it would be a double-whammy for Galgorm Castle, which is scheduled to stage the Challenge Tour’s €200,000 Northern Ireland Open supported by The R&A from September 3-6.

The parkland venue’s 7,104-yard par-71 Championship Course nestles in the heart of the 220-acre Galgorm Castle Estate.

It hosted a  Challenge Tour event every season from 2013 to 2018 and last year staged the ISPS Handa World Invitational Men | Women presented by Modest! Golf Management, won by Jack Senior and Stephanie Meadow respectively

As yet, there is no news on whether the Irish Challenge, scheduled for the Republic of Ireland from September 10-13, the week after the Challenge Tour’s Northern Ireland Open, will go ahead.

No venue has yet been announced with just a month to go before the event.