Irish Open (golf)

The Irish Open is a professional golf tournament on the European Tour.

In 2015 the Irish Open will be the first with Rory McIlroy hosting and his charitable foundation as the main benefactor. The Royal County Down in Northern Ireland will be the host course and Dubai Duty Free will become the lead sponsor. The 2014 Irish Open was one of the qualifying events for the Open Championship. The leading three players, who were not already qualified and who finished in the top ten, qualified for the 2014 Open Championship. The event was won by Mikko Ilonen by one stroke over Edoardo Molinari.

History

The Irish Open has generally been played in June, July, or August, but from 2004 to 2009 it was played in May, the week before the BMW PGA Championship. In 2010 and 2011 the tournament was moved to a later date at the end of July, while in 2012 and 2013 it was played in late June, the week after the BMW PGA Championship. In 2014 it was moved to the week after the U.S. Open.

The Irish Open enjoys one of the largest galleries on the European Tour. In 2010, the Irish Open at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club had an attendance of 85,179 over four days, second only to the BMW PGA Championship. In 2011, the Irish Open at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club tallied in excess of 86,500 over four days. This was again the second highest on the European Tour to the BMW PGA Championship. In 2012, the Irish Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club had a record attendance of 112,000 over four days; 131,000 over the six days. This was the only time a European Tour event had sold out prior to play on all four days and was the highest attendance ever recorded on the European Tour.

Since 2008 it has been the only European Tour event played in Ireland. The European Open was held at the K Club in Straffan for thirteen years from 1995 to 2007 while the 2007 Seve Trophy and the 2006 Ryder Cup were the last major team competitions played in Ireland.

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]

Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority of the Republic of Ireland, agreed to sponsor in 2011, but with a reduced purse, cut in half to €1.5 million.^[3]

Winners

Year	Winner	Venue	County	Province	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Winner's share (€)
The Irish Open
2015	28–31 May	Royal County Down	Down	Ulster
2014	Mikko Ilonen	Fota Island	Cork	Munster	271	−13	1 stroke	333,330
2013	Paul Casey	Carton House	Kildare	Leinster	274	−14	3 strokes	333,330
2012	Jamie Donaldson	Royal Portrush	Antrim	Ulster	270	−18	4 strokes	333,330
Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland
2011	Simon Dyson	Killarney	Kerry	Munster	269	−15	1 stroke	250,000
The 3 Irish Open
2010	Ross Fisher	Killarney	Kerry	Munster	266	−18	2 strokes	500,000
2009	Shane Lowry (a)*	County Louth	Louth	Leinster	271	−17	Playoff	500,000*
Irish Open
2008	Richard Finch	Adare	Limerick	Munster	278	−10	2 strokes	416,600
2007	Pádraig Harrington	Adare	Limerick	Munster	283	−5	Playoff	416,600
Nissan Irish Open
2006	Thomas Bjørn	Carton House	Kildare	Leinster	283	−5	1 stroke	366,660
2005	Stephen Dodd	Carton House	Kildare	Leinster	279	−9	Playoff	333,330
2004	Brett Rumford	County Louth	Louth	Leinster	274	−14	4 strokes	316,660
2003	Michael Campbell	Portmarnock	Fingal	Leinster	277	−11	Playoff	300,000
Murphy's Irish Open
2002	Søren Hansen	Fota Island	Cork	Munster	270	−14	Playoff	266,600
2001	Colin Montgomerie	Fota Island	Cork	Munster	266	−18	5 strokes	266,600
2000	Patrik Sjöland	Ballybunion	Kerry	Munster	270	−14	2 strokes	267,319
1999	Sergio García	Druids Glen	Wicklow	Leinster	268	−16	3 strokes	233,320
1998	David Carter	Druids Glen	Wicklow	Leinster	278	−6	Playoff	223,988
1997	Colin Montgomerie	Druids Glen	Wicklow	Leinster	269	−15	7 strokes	159,090
1996	Colin Montgomerie	Druids Glen	Wicklow	Leinster	279	−5	1 stroke	178,571
1995	Sam Torrance	Mount Juliet	Kilkenny	Leinster	277	−11	Playoff	155,550
1994	Bernhard Langer	Mount Juliet	Kilkenny	Leinster	275	−13	1 stroke	138,271
Carroll's Irish Open
1993	Nick Faldo	Mount Juliet	Kilkenny	Leinster	276	−12	Playoff	135,282
1992	Nick Faldo	Killarney	Kerry	Munster	274	−14	Playoff	106,784
1991	Nick Faldo	Killarney	Kerry	Munster	283	−5	3 strokes	85,344
1990	José María Olazábal	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	282	−6	3 strokes	81,036
1989	Ian Woosnam	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	278	−10	Playoff	61,296
1988	Ian Woosnam	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	278	−10	7 strokes	54,166
1987	Bernhard Langer	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	269	−19	10 strokes	50,174
1986	Seve Ballesteros	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	285	−3	2 strokes	44,380
1985	Seve Ballesteros	Royal Dublin		Leinster	278	−10	Playoff	28,000
1984	Bernhard Langer	Royal Dublin		Leinster	267	−21	4 strokes	25,662
1983	Seve Ballesteros	Royal Dublin		Leinster	271	−17	2 strokes	25,662
1982	John O'Leary	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	287	−1	1 stroke	18,742
1981	Sam Torrance	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	276	−12	5 strokes	18,659
1980	Mark James	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	284	−4	1 stroke	16,730
1979	Mark James	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	282	−6	1 stroke	14,000
1978	Ken Brown	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	281	−7	1 stroke	14,000
1977	Hubert Green	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	283	−5	1 stroke	11,200
1976	Ben Crenshaw	Portmarnock	Dublin	Leinster	284	−4	2 strokes	9,800
1975	Christy O'Connor Jnr	Woodbrook	Wicklow	Leinster	275	−21	1 stroke	7,000

^PO sudden-death playoff
*(a) indicates an amateur golfer, winner's share awarded to top professional (Robert Rock, 2009), the playoff runner-up.

• Source:^[4][5]

Pre-revival of Irish Open name, and European Tour sanctioning

Year Winner Venue County Province Carroll's International (Irish Open not played between 1963 and 1974) 1974 Bernard Gallacher Woodbrook Wicklow Leinster 1973 Paddy McGuirk Woodbrook Wicklow Leinster 1972 Christy O'Connor Snr Woodbrook Wicklow Leinster 1971 Neil Coles Woodbrook Wicklow Leinster 1970 Brian Huggett Woodbrook Wicklow Leinster 1969 Ronnie Shade Woodbrook Wicklow Leinster 1968 Jimmy Martin Woodbrook Wicklow Leinster 1967 Christy O'Connor Snr Woodbrook Wicklow Leinster 1966 Christy O'Connor Snr Royal Dublin Leinster 1965 Neil Coles Cork Cork Munster 1964 Christy O'Connor Snr Woodbrook Wicklow Leinster 1963 Bernard Hunt Woodbrook Wicklow Leinster 1954-62: No tournament Year Winner Venue County Province Irish Open 1953 Eric Brown Belvoir Park Antrim Ulster 1951-52: No tournament 1950 Ossie Pickworth Royal Dublin Leinster 1949 Harry Bradshaw Belvoir Park Antrim Ulster 1948 Dai Rees Portmarnock Dublin Leinster 1947 Harry Bradshaw Royal Portrush Antrim Ulster 1946 Fred Daly Portmarnock Dublin Leinster 1940-45: No tournament due to World War II 1939 Arthur Lees Royal County Down Down Ulster 1938 Bobby Locke Portmarnock Dublin Leinster 1937 Bert Gadd Royal Portrush Antrim Ulster 1936 Reg Whitcombe Royal Dublin Leinster 1935 Ernest Whitcombe Royal County Down Down Ulster 1934 Syd Easterbrook Portmarnock Antrim Ulster 1933 Bob Kenyon Malone Antrim Ulster 1932 Alf Padgham Cork Cork Munster 1931 Bob Kenyon Royal Dublin Leinster 1930 Charles Whitcombe Royal Portrush Antrim Ulster 1929 Abe Mitchell Portmarnock Dublin Leinster 1928 Ernest Whitcombe Royal County Down Down Ulster 1927 George Duncan Portmarnock Dublin Leinster

Future venues

Multiple winners

Rank	Name	Wins	Years
1	Christy O'Connor Snr	4	1964, 1966, 1967, 1972
2	Colin Montgomerie	3	1996, 1997, 2001
2	Bernhard Langer	3	1984, 1987, 1994
2	Nick Faldo	3	1991, 1992, 1993
2	Seve Ballesteros	3	1983, 1985, 1986
6	Sam Torrance	2	1981, 1995
6	Ian Woosnam	2	1988, 1989
6	Mark James	2	1979, 1980
6	Neil Coles	2	1965, 1971
6	Harry Bradshaw	2	1947, 1949
6	Ernest Whitcombe	2	1928, 1935
6	Bob Kenyon	2	1931, 1933

See also

• Irish Seniors Open
• Ladies Irish Open

References

External links

• Coverage on the European Tour's official site
• Host course