No panic for McCumiskey

Irish PGA boss Michael McCumiskey says he is not hitting any panic buttons as he battles to find a sponsor for the Irish Professional Championship.

The Dundalk man hopes to stage the Irish PGA at The European Club from July 12-15 - the week before the Open.

World No 10 Padraig Harrington is keen to play if it can be staged on a links that week and McCumiskey is doing everything in his power to make it happen.

He said: "I am not hitting any panic buttons, even though we have been full on with this since just after Christmas.

"There is no quick fix, turn on the lights or 'push-button' solution to this. We are doing everything we believe possible.

"I have a proposal in writing for €250,000 but that can be reduced by stripping away certain elements, such as caddie bibs and TV footage and the like.

"Based on a prize fund of €140,000 to cover the championship, the seniors, the assistants, the pro-am and the qualifiers, it could be done for €200,000 or less

"We are continuing to work on it and we have a company that we are trying to arrange a meeting with."

Harrington says he will be "very disappointed" if a sponsor is not found in time.

And McCumiskey added: "The fact that Padraig is available has made a few companies keen to do it. But it is difficult to get people around the table to sign on the dotted line.

"I am still optimistic that we can organise it in July but I need to discuss things with Pat Ruddy of the European Club, who will need to know sooner rather than later.

"We originally wanted to get something in place by April 1 but if we have a vibrant conversation going with an interested party, that deadline may be extended by a couple of weeks."