NI Open to include women’s event in 2019

Leona Maguire

Women's professional golf will return to Irish shores after a seven-year absence next year when the NI Open is staged as both a men's and ladies' event.

The move is the brainchild of Modest! Golf, the agency fronted by singer Niall Horan, that now manages Cavan twins Leona and Lisa Maguire.

Horan said: "By introducing a ladies' tournament to the NI Open, we are looking to broaden the appeal to a much wider audience, while providing new opportunities for our young, aspiring players."

The NI Open will remain a Challenge Tour event with the Ladies European Tour sanctioning the women's tournament.

The joint format was successfully introduced at the Vic Open in Australia in 2013 with the combined prize funds for both events increasing 10-fold from $300,000 to $3 million over the past six years.

The plan is for both fields to play one round each at Galgorm Castle and Massereene with the final two rounds at Galgorm Castle with 36 and 54-hole cuts in place.

A delighted Leona said: "The timing couldn’t be better for the likes of Lisa and myself, who turned professional earlier this year. 

"We have been fortunate to play in a number of Ladies Irish Opens during our young amateur careers but there hasn’t been anything in place since 2012." 

"With great support from our management company Modest! Golf this is a wonderful and exciting opportunity and I look forward be being part of a very special week competing alongside the men in one of the best events on the tournament schedule." 

The €180,000 NI Open tees off at Galgorm Castle tomorrow with 23 home players in the field.

With The Open at Royal Portrush and the GUI and ILGU  working to form a single governing body for the sport on the island of Ireland, 2019 promises to be a special year for Irish golf.