Top Irish Links To Host 2014 PGA Tour Event
GolfCentralDaily has learned today from trusted industry insiders that negotiations are at an advanced stage between a top Irish links, Irish government officials and the PGA Tour regarding staging a regular season PGA Tour event in Summer 2014.
Follow @golfcentraldocA Donegal links located on the Inishowen peninsula of Ireland’s Northwest coast, and boasts two championship courses, is believed to have been approached by the PGA Tour after a delegation including commissioner Tim Finchem visited the course last month as part of Tourism Ireland’s “The Gathering†initiative. PGA Tour officials provisionally penciled in a date in June 2014 in the run up to the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
It is believed the proposed event with a projected prize pot of $8 million has already received the full commitment of top players Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy, who participated in an Oakley photoshoot at the proposed venue back in 2011. A multi billion dollar American software company, with its headquarters in Dublin Ireland, are rumoured to be the title sponsor.
The move comes only a week after speculation regarding the PGA Tour possibly taking over the running of The European Tour. It is believed a delegation from the PGA Tour also met with and received the backing of top Irish ranking Irish government officials including the Minister for Sport who, frustrated at the European Tour’s failure to find a title sponsor for the Irish Open in recent years, cleared the way legally for the event.
As yet the European Tour have not commented on the development which would prospectively see Ireland become the first European country to host events on both tours within a month- a testament to the success of Irish golfers on both sides of The Atlantic.
Tourism Ireland however have welcomed the initiative in a statement describing it as “a huge marketing opportunity for Ireland in the US Golf Market which is so important to the Irish Economy.â€
A formal announcement is due in the coming days.
More as it emerges.
Follow @golfcentraldocA Donegal links located on the Inishowen peninsula of Ireland’s Northwest coast, and boasts two championship courses, is believed to have been approached by the PGA Tour after a delegation including commissioner Tim Finchem visited the course last month as part of Tourism Ireland’s “The Gathering†initiative. PGA Tour officials provisionally penciled in a date in June 2014 in the run up to the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. It is believed the proposed event with a projected prize pot of $8 million has already received the full commitment of top players Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy, who participated in an Oakley photoshoot at the proposed venue back in 2011. A multi billion dollar American software company, with its headquarters in Dublin Ireland, are rumoured to be the title sponsor.
The move comes only a week after speculation regarding the PGA Tour possibly taking over the running of The European Tour. It is believed a delegation from the PGA Tour also met with and received the backing of top Irish ranking Irish government officials including the Minister for Sport who, frustrated at the European Tour’s failure to find a title sponsor for the Irish Open in recent years, cleared the way legally for the event.
As yet the European Tour have not commented on the development which would prospectively see Ireland become the first European country to host events on both tours within a month- a testament to the success of Irish golfers on both sides of The Atlantic.
Tourism Ireland however have welcomed the initiative in a statement describing it as “a huge marketing opportunity for Ireland in the US Golf Market which is so important to the Irish Economy.â€
A formal announcement is due in the coming days.
More as it emerges.
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