Irish Open crown jewel for Killarney kingdom

Hold on to tour Ryder Cup hats. Lakeside gem Killarney is all set to host next year’s star-studded 3 Irish Open.

The European Tour will announce at a press conference next week that the world famous Killeen course will stage Ireland’s showpiece tournament for the third time.

Club sources, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the news that Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy will headline the €3m plus event, which is expected to be staged from July 29 to August 2 – two weeks after the Open at St Andrews.

Sponsors 3 Mobile are confident that a stellar field will turn up to battle for massive Ryder Cup qualifying points before the team is finalised four weeks later.

Carton House, Mount Juliet and Fota Island were also in the frame but Killarney’s massive hotel capacity and the likelihood of attracting a huge, August Bank Holiday crowd, swung the issue in their favour.

Killarney hosted the Irish Open in 1991 and 1992 when England’s Nick Faldo claimed back-to-back victories.