"It's like trying to get the prom queen" - Irish Open director on battle to attract tour stars
[L-R] Paul Heery (General Manager, The K Club), Michael Fetherston (Owner, The K Club), Simon Alliss (Championship Director, Horizon Irish Open), Jack Chambers (T.D. Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht), Tim Walbert (Chairman, President and CEO of Horizon Therapeutics), Jamie Hodges (Head of European Challenger Tour) and Dr. Una May (CEO of Sport Ireland) must be credited to Getty Images
THE K CLUB will host the Horizon Irish Open in 2023, 2025 and 2027 but there are more questions than answers about the future of the event.
The Palmer North Course will host the Irish Open in alternate years from next year with the third edition set to coincide with Ireland's second hosting of the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027.
When staging costs are factored in, global biotechnology giants Horizon Therapeutics could pump at least €50 million into the tournament over the next six years.
The event will have a $6 million purse (€5.05 million) at Mount Juliet from June 30 to July 3 — up 77 pc on last year — with the possibility of that figure increasing exponentially should the championship become co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour.
But when it comes to co-sanctioned status with the PGA Tour, the possibility of big name US-based stars playing at Mount Juliet the week before the JP McManus Pro-Am at Adare Manor, the possible increase in the prize fund or a return to Northern Ireland, the Tour had no concrete news.
What is certain is The K Club has made a six-year commitment to the Tour as it also plans to host the €250,000 Irish Challenge in non-Irish Open years, starting at the resort's Palmer South course in July with further events in 2024 and 2026.
The 2006 Ryder Cup venue, which also hosted the European Open for 13 years, last hosted the Irish Open in 2016, when Rory McIlroy finished birdie-par-eagle to win by three shots and claim his national open for the first time.
However, McIlroy's busy schedule makes him doubtful for Mount Juliet in six weeks and while he could join Tiger Woods and a host of stars in the JP McManus Pro-Am the Monday and Tuesday after the Irish Open (July 4-5), Irish Open Championship Director Simon Alliss, is not making any promises about big-name appearances in Co Kilkenny.
That’s always a battle but we can also blame Greg Norman this time.
"It's like trying to get the prom queen," Alliss said. "We offer them as much as we can and try to make it as enticing as possible, but these guys will do what they want to do when they're working out their schedule.
"So much will depend on their plans running into the Open Championship. We are optimistic and we are trying our best but I would definitely not stick my neck out and say anything definitive just yet,” he added, adding that global uncertainty caused by Greg Norman’s US$250 million LIV Golf Invitational Series means “there is more in the wind at the moment.”
As for the chances of the Irish Open becoming co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour's Deputy CEO Guy Kinnings had no breaking news.
"That's the goal," Kinnings said. “I think the fact that this tournament was singled out by the PGA Tour in terms of their help and support in developing this opportunity just shows how much they and we think of the Horizon Irish Open.
"We will continue to look in every way we can to grow the tournament. What that will lead to, we will just have to wait and see."
He was equally non-committal on an increase in the prize fund, but admitted a return to Northern Ireland in 2024 and 2026 had not been ruled out.
"The fact that the tournament can be so impactful for the whole island of Ireland means we will be looking at opportunities to play in the North as well, and we'll announce those when we're ready to," Kinnings said.
The Irish Open's controversial date, just before the co-sanctioned Scottish Open and The Open, reduces the chances of attracting the superstars, but it works for The K Club's touring professional Séamus Power.
"I think this is going to vary, player to player, but I think in general, two weeks before The Open is a great date," Power said.
"It's a fantastic week, and to be honest, with Horizon getting involved and the K Club getting involved, it's going to be a really good, and the field is going to get stronger, and there's just going to be more and more interest generated for the players and for someone like me it's fantastic.
"I think it's going to be very positive being two weeks before. You're going to have some guys who like to play the week before a major and not two weeks before, but I think in general, two weeks before is a fantastic time to play the event."
Kinnings added: "For us right now, we're pretty excited about having the run of Horizon Irish Open, then having the Genesis Scottish Open followed by The Open Championship in its 150th year and in the middle of that, you've got the JP Pro-Am.
"With that you can ensure that we will have three weeks of the best golf anywhere on the planet in Ireland and in Scotland. And that we think works well.
"As Seamus said, what suits him is one thing and others may take a different view.”
Should the Irish Open become co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour, it would be difficult to imagine amateurs and PGA in Ireland professionals retaining their spots in the field.
However, Kinnings admitted the Irish Open traditions are important to the tour
"All I can say is we look to make sure that the tournament is as good as it can possibly be for all constituents and the ability to have the world's best players, which is just fantastic, but also have others involved from other areas, whether it's amateurs or PGA pros or whatever, is something that we'll always monitor,” said Kinnings, who is also Ryder Cup Director and Chief Commercial Officer.
"Because we know the Horizon Irish Open, it should be a focal point for Irish golf and the fact you've got the Irish Challenge as well, and we will be building towards the jewel in the crown, which is the Ryder Cup, we just need to make sure that all the constituents are considered. So we'll certainly be looking at every aspect of that and then decide what's right for each edition.”
The Irish Open will receive €1 million in funding from Sport Ireland for the third year running.
