Irish Open tickets going fast; sell-out expected as 100-day countdown begins

Aine Kearney, Tourism NI Director of Business Support and Events and Simon Alliss, Irish Open Championship Director, put in some practice at Portstewart Golf Club which is hosting the Irish Open July 6-9

Tourism NI is urging golf fans to book their tickets with only 100 days to go before the $7m Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Portstewart

The European Tour is expecting a sell-out, 100,000 crowd from July 6-9 and Championship Director, Simon Alliss is also encouraging fans to snap up their tickets before it's too late.

"The countdown is really now on for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in July and there are a host of exciting announcements to be made in the coming weeks and months," he said.

Portstewart's Strand Course

"So we would urge golf fans across the island of Ireland to get booking as we have already had two sell-out Irish Opens on Northern Irish soil and we expect this one to be no different.

"A percentage of all ticket sales go to the Rory Foundation to help make children’s lives better, so all those purchasing tickets will also be contributing to a great cause.”

Tourism NI Director of Events and Business Support, Aine Kearney added: "Following the success of the Irish Open in 2012 and 2015 in Northern Ireland with the support of the European Tour and the Rory Foundation we are gearing up for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open 2017 to be the biggest and best Irish Open yet.

"Tens of thousands of tickets have already been sold and with only 100 days to go to the tournament and with big names still to be announced we are confident this event will sell out.

"The potential of golf tourism is huge with the average golf visitor spending over £1700 per trip. Tourism NI wants to grow total revenue from golf tourism from £32 million to £50 million by 2020 and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open is the perfect opportunity to showcase our world-class golf courses to golfing audiences around the world."