Leona: "It's in everybody's best interests that it's a slightly better date"

Ireland’s Leona Maguire and Catriona Matthew of Scotland enjoy the picture perfect morning as they walk off the 11th tee in the second round of the KPMG Women's Irish Open in Dromoland Castle Golf Club, Newmarket On Fergus, Clare. Picture: Brian Arthur

Leona Maguire insists a summer date is crucial for the future of the KPMG Women's Irish Open after the runaway success of last week's first staging for 10 years at Dromoland Castle.

The Co Clare resort deserves huge kudos for underwriting the 2022 event, which saw Maguire jet in from Portland and finish just a shot outside a playoff that saw Klara Spilkova win for the first time in five years.

Around 24,000 fans came through the gates over the four days, and with 10,000 cheering Maguire on Sunday, she reckons the event will be even bigger next year if the Ladies European Tour succeeds in squeezing it in around the either of the Majors in Europe when Ireland's top female college players are home.

"There are a number of factors - I think we were blessed with the weather this week, which you can't plan for," Maguire said. "I think the bigger field, if it's in a summer date, we would get a few more LPGA Tour players like we did before when it was in Killeen Castle if it's on that European stretch, potentially around Evian dates or AIG Women's British Open dates, ideally."

While six Irish amateurs played at Dromoland Castle, Maguire believes US-based college stars such as Lauren Walsh, Annabel Wilson, Beth Coulter, Anna Foster or Sara Byrne could only benefit by playing an LET event at home.

""A lot of them missed out this week which was a shame," she said. "Some of the younger girls got to play, which was a great experience for them, but there are a few of the college girls who haven't played in a pro event and it would be a great experience for them.

"It's in everybody's best interests that it's a slightly better date, but you can't fault this week. It has been a tremendous success."

Cian Branagan of promoter ForeFront Sports will underwrite the event in 2023, and he's hopeful Dromoland Castle will again play host and that a summer date, possibly two weeks after the AIG Women's Open, can be secured.

"Everybody has been pleasantly surprised," Maguire said. "A lot of girls said it has felt like a major this week, by far the biggest crowds they have seen. This is not normal for an LET event. It's been incredibly well-supported.

"The crowds were huge – 10,000 through the gates, which is a lot for an Irish Open and for it to be the first one in ten years and the fact it was put together quite last minute as well. So hopefully, all the people that were here this week were happy with what they saw and a few more come next year."

As Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Pádraig Harrington and Jonathan Caldwell play the Alfred Dunhill Links in Scotland, Séamus Power returns after a month off for five events in six weeks.

The West Waterford star will be looking to open his Ryder Cup qualifying points account in this week's Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi before playing next week's Shriners Children's Open in Las Vegas, The CJ Cup, the Butterfield Bermuda Championship and the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in Mexico.