Irish Open

Silver-Tiger

Hi Lads

Sorry if there is a thread already.

I take it the open will get a sponsor on the back of Rory last week alone.
Will it definitely go ahead?

Is there anywhere to book tickets?

Thanks

staker

I thought Liebherr were doing it??

poteen

Apparently No sponsor yet:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/golf/mcilroyrsquos-killarney-pledge-boosts-irish-open-survival-hopes-2801202.html

McIlroys commitment might be enough to save it. I think you will definetly see the Open moving North next year if its to survive. I dont understand why the Uropean Tour dont foot some money towards it

L.O.F.T

apparently there is:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/golf/boost-for-irish-open-2660631.html

Trampas

L.O.F.T wrote: »

apparently there is:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/golf/boost-for-irish-open-2660631.html

I thought they were a small sponsor and not the main sponsor.

ssbob

Trampas wrote: »

I thought they were a small sponsor and not the main sponsor.

Yes Liebherr are not the main sponsor, none has been found yet but Failte Ireland and the Department of tourism along with the European tour have committed to the event anyway. It is not going to lose it's shirt as there was 80,000 in attendance over the 4 days so between ticket sales(average €10 pp= €800,000) and merchandise sales etc then it should be ok although they are trying to keep it as a second tier event ie. €500,000 top prize but I am not sure they will be able to do that!

Padraig Harrington is hosting the event also.

dvemail

It will be definitely going ahead, but its looking at this stage that the prize fund will be
somewhere in the region of 1.5 million overall compared to 3 million last year because of the
lack of a title sponsor.
Hopefully though with Rorys win at the weekend somebody might be more willing to step up to the plate.

chalkie 501

ssbob wrote: »

Yes Liebherr are not the main sponsor, none has been found yet but Failte Ireland and the Department of tourism along with the European tour have committed to the event anyway. It is not going to lose it's shirt as there was 80,000 in attendance over the 4 days so between ticket sales(average €10 pp= €800,000) and merchandise sales etc then it should be ok although they are trying to keep it as a second tier event ie. €500,000 top prize but I am not sure they will be able to do that!

Padraig Harrington is hosting the event also.

This is probably a silly question but what does Harrington is hosting the event mean?and what does it entail?

MisterAnarchy

dvemail wrote: »

It will be definitely going ahead, but its looking at this stage that the prize fund will be
somewhere in the region of 1.5 million overall compared to 3 million last year because of the
lack of a title sponsor.

Considering the substantial size of the prize fund last year ,3m,the standard of the field was woeful to say the least.
Dropping the prize fund to 1.5m shouldnt see much of a deterioration in the quality of the field especially since most of the big names are Irish .

Jul3s

chalkie 501 wrote: »

This is probably a silly question but what does Harrington is hosting the event mean?and what does it entail?

It means Harrington gets a big fat cheque and it entails Joe Soap been impressed by said phrase and increased ticket sales to pay for said cheque plus a little extra for the agent who came up with the idea.

ssbob

chalkie 501 wrote: »

This is probably a silly question but what does Harrington is hosting the event mean?and what does it entail?

Jul3s wrote: »

It means Harrington gets a big fat cheque and it entails Joe Soap been impressed by said phrase and increased ticket sales to pay for said cheque plus a little extra for the agent who came up with the idea.

This is incorrect, it involves Harrington doing alot of promoting in the lead up to it and then on the week of the event he is available for sponsors dinners and events and he will be looking after the players aswell(Miguel Jiminez hosts the Andalucian open), it should provide an incentive for a big time sponsor to come on board but with Harrington gone off the boil in recent months, he is not as big an atrraction as he used be!!

dvemail

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0628/1224299678901.html

I know most probably wouldn't have played anyway but it still is a big shame all the same.
No Jimenez or Quiros who may have played.

ssbob

dvemail wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0628/1224299678901.html

I know most probably wouldn't have played anyway but it still is a big shame all the same.
No Jimenez or Quiros who may have played.

Shame really, you would think with the likes of GMAC and Rory playing the world ranking points should be big enough there?

Opics

The Irish Open hasn't had a good field in years. And it's at an awful time in the calender......the week before 2 very big weeks in America. As long as Rory and Manassero are there i'm happy

derra

Taken from Breakingnews.ie...

The Irish Open Golf tournament is to go ahead in Killarney, Co Kerry this July without a sponsor.

Fáilte Ireland, backed by the Government, is to invest €1.25m in the €3m event. The remainder will be covered by smaller sponsors.

Newly crowned US Open champion Rory McIllroy will headline the field alongside Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell.

Junior Minister for Tourism, Michael Ring, said it was important for the country to hold the event.

"One of the big planks of government is to make sure that we get people into the country" he said.

"For this event 80,000 people will actually come to Killarney. We'll have 150,000 people in the country this year to play golf. That brings in a revenue of €110m a year," he said.

Aidric

Heard an extract from an interview with George O Grady earlier. He mentioned the possibility of a change of date next season, with McIlroy having a big say in things.

dvemail

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/golf/2011/0628/1224299714143.html

Prize fund has been cut in half. Not looking very good for the Irish Open at the moment.
Lets hope there will be a change in date next year.

SSK

Aidric wrote: »

Heard an extract from an interview with George O Grady earlier. He mentioned the possibility of a change of date next season, with McIlroy having a big say in things.

If that's the case then don't be surprised to see it head North. Not that it'd be much of an issue, the GUI is an All-Ireland association anyway.

It may create an issue with Failte Ireland sponsorship as I'm not sure if they are 32 county body?

liam12989

would love to see it on a links course and the week before the british open.
Portrush or County Down. I dont understand why we dont show case our best courses i.e links....

Trampas

With the prize fund only 1.5 million will it mean it is only a grade 3b tourney.

Joining it along the like of Maderia and St Omer?

dvemail

Doubt it, McIlroy and McDowell wouldn't play in these events.
From what i've been reading this will just be a gap year and next year there will more than
likely be a title sponsor on board for 2012 Irish Open. Think it was in the Examiner they said
Zurich were in talks to sponsor it next year.

Trampas

dvemail wrote: »

Doubt it, McIlroy and McDowell wouldn't play in these events.
From what i've been reading this will just be a gap year and next year there will more than
likely be a title sponsor on board for 2012 Irish Open. Think it was in the Examiner they said
Zurich were in talks to sponsor it next year.

Category 3b
Winners of dual ranking European/Challenge Tour events and from 2009 onwards, winners of R2D events with a prizefund below 1.5 million Euro

That doesn't state x players are playing makes it exempt.

JerryHandbag

The slot that the tournament had before would be ideal, which would actually be this week, week before Scottish and 2 weeks before The Open. I remember seeing the likes of John Daly and Greg Norman playing, sharpening up for the Open. May be difficult however to get that slot back, the French Open will not want to budge I'm sure.

ssbob

JerryHandbag wrote: »

The slot that the tournament had before would be ideal, which would actually be this week, week before Scottish and 2 weeks before The Open. I remember seeing the likes of John Daly and Greg Norman playing, sharpening up for the Open. May be difficult however to get that slot back, the French Open will not want to budge I'm sure.

I think everyone wanted to change the slot after the year Lowry won because the weather was so bad and also Bord Failte wanted to tie it into a bank holiday weekend therefore making a festival of it!

foxyboxer

McIlory is playing and what's more you might be playing with him.

http://tickets.europeantour.com/Event/IRISH-OPEN/Killarney-Golf-Fishing-Club/558906

JerryHandbag

ssbob wrote: »

I think everyone wanted to change the slot after the year Lowry won because the weather was so bad and also Bord Failte wanted to tie it into a bank holiday weekend therefore making a festival of it!

With the way Irish summers are going, its very difficult to pick a week influenced by good weather :pac:

dvemail

It would be great if we could get this week in the calender alright instead of the French Open.
The couple of weeks leading up to the Open should be all played on Links courses and getting
players ready for it. That can't be done by playing in France this week while it could be done by
having the Irish Open this week followed by the Scottish then the British. It would be three
dates in the calender that most players would try to play in.

5989

Working as a spotter or microphone-thingy carrier for sky for the four days...hope to see some good golf up close and not get a deluge of rain every day. Haven't seen the course before so looking forward to see how it compares to the other top parklands I've played before.