UAE/IRELAND. The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, which takes place from 5 to 8 July, has attracted a high-class field of golfers from around the world and Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Colm McLoughlin has hailed the growth of the event since the retailer took over as title sponsor in 2015. As reported, Dubai Duty Free recently renewed its partnership taking it through to 2022. McLoughlin also saluted the boost to the profile of the company and Dubai as a destination through the event.
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation is being held this year at Ballyliffin Golf Club in County Donegal. From an initial prize fund of €2.5 million the purse now stands at USD$7,000,000 and last year the event was named as one of the eight prestigious Rolex Series tournaments on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.
McLoughlin said: “We are happy to continue our association with the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and are very pleased with how the tournament has grown over the past four years, thanks to the support of tournament host Rory McIlroy and his Foundation. Becoming part of the Rolex Series has been a great boost as well and the benefits our brand gains from the event’s media exposure is excellent.”
The field include Spain’s Jon Rahm, who will set out to defend what was his maiden European Tour title last year. Rahm went on to win the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates and has this year added victory at the Open de España.
This year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation will carry even more significance with Europe’s best players battling for a place on Captain Thomas Bjørn’s team for the Ryder Cup against the USA in Paris in September.
Joining Rahm in the field is 2016 Ryder Cup star Rafa Cabrera Bello. Also confirmed is Matthew Fitzpatrick, winner of four European Tour titles including the 2016 DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, along with another two members of the last Team Europe, compatriots Danny Willett – winner of the 2016 Masters Tournament – and Chris Wood. There is also a strong Irish representation. Paul Dunne is looking to add his name to long list of Irish winners which includes Christy O’Connor Jnr (1975), John O’Leary (1982), Padraig Harrington (2007), Shane Lowry (2009) and Rory McIlroy (2016). Three-time Major champion Harrington has also added his name to the Irish challenge for this year’s event.
McIlroy and his Foundation’s support of the tournament has run concurrently with Dubai Duty Free’s but from next year the event will enter a new era with a rotation of tournament hosts featuring big names in Irish golf.
From 2019, Paul McGinley, Darren Clarke, Harrington and Graeme McDowell will share the hosting duties with McIlroy, beginning with McGinley next year.
Eight-time European Tour winner and two-time Ryder Cup player Des Smyth will also become tournament ambassador for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open until 2022.
McIlroy said: “Ballyliffin is an extraordinary course in the beautiful County of Donegal. It’s a fantastic part of the world where viewers and spectators can expect to see some of the world’s best golfers tested to their creative limits on one of Ireland’s most pure links courses. The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open’s US$7 million purse is also guaranteed to attract an extremely deep field of golfing talent. It’s really shaping up to be an amazing week in County Donegal. Jon Rahm was a popular winner last year in Portstewart and I believe he will put up a very strong defence of his title in Ballyliffin this July – it’s the job of the rest of us golfers to come out fighting against one of golf’s newest superstars. As I hand over the reins as host to Paul McGinley for next year, I’m just delighted that Ballyliffin is the stepping stone for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open to continue to go from strength to strength.”
European Tour International Dubai Office Director Nick Tarratt added: “We are delighted to be able to announce the Dubai Duty Free title sponsorship renewal for a further four years. Dubai Duty Free have been supporters of golf in the city of Dubai since 2009 for the DP World Tour Championship and since 1989 for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
“This is a further endorsement of Dubai’s strong partnership with the European Tour that includes support from DP World, Emirates and Jumeirah Golf Estates.”
