The Irish Golf Club Gazette: Emirates Golf Club

Showing posts with label Emirates Golf Club. Show all posts

3/15/2016

Moy Park Stays with DDF Irish Open

Moy Park has announced its continuation as an Official Sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation, which takes place at the world renowned K Club in County Kildare from May 19-22, 2016.

Moy Park, which is part of the JBS Group, the largest protein company in the world and the second largest global food business, will be celebrating its fifth year as an Official Sponsor and at this year’s tournament will showcase its products in the Moy Park food court at the Championship village food pavilion.

Alan Gibson, Moy Park’s UK and Ireland Director, said: “As one of Ireland’s largest companies and the country’s number one poultry brand, we are delighted to continue to grow and develop our partnership with the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open – one of the world’s most iconic sporting events.

"Attracting players and visitors from across the globe, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open gives the Moy Park brand a great platform to build upon the huge success of last year’s Championship at Royal County Down. We are thrilled that Rory McIlroy has announced his commitment to host the tournament again, on behalf of his Foundation, making this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at the prestigious K Club all the more special.”

James Finnigan, Commercial Director of the Irish Open, said: “The European Tour is delighted to secure the continued commitment of Moy Park for this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at the K Club. We are excited to be working with one of Ireland’s biggest companies who will actively promote their involvement in the championship via a number of consumer promotions. We thank Moy Park for their continued support of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and the European Tour.”

To celebrate its sponsorship of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, Moy Park has launched an on-pack competition to win a money can’t buy Irish Open experience. Running from the March 21 – April 29, shoppers across the UK and Ireland can win the ‘Ultimate Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Experience’ – which includes tickets, overnight accommodation and corporate hospitality – by picking up a promotional pack of Moy Park chicken in participating stores.

3/14/2015

Dubai Duty Fee Sponsor Irish Open

European Tour

The European Tour announced that Dubai Duty Free will be the title sponsor of the 2015 Irish Open Hosted by The Rory Foundation.

Taking place at Royal County Down Golf Club from May 28 – 31, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation will see World Number One Rory McIlroy play the role of tournament host on behalf of his charitable foundation.

McIlroy is set to be joined by many of world golf’s most exciting names, with Rickie Fowler, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood already confirmed to join Ireland’s golfing superstars McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington and Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke.

McIlroy said: “It’s great news that Dubai Duty Free has come on board as the title sponsor for this year’s Irish Open. Dubai Duty Free is a strong global brand with great experience in sports sponsorship through golf, tennis and horse racing.

"The European Tour and I both have strong links to Dubai, and I am sure Dubai Duty Free will bring a lot to the event and add to its already great prestige.”

Rory McIlroy

One of the world’s leading airport retailers with a turnover of US$1.9 billion in 2014, Dubai Duty Free is already associated with The European Tour as sponsors of the DP World Tour Championship and the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, won at the Emirates Golf Club this year by McIlroy.

Dubai Duty Free’s golf portfolio also includes the Dubai Ladies Masters, as well as a series of high-profile events including the annual Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup, Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup, Dubai Duty Free Golf Cup and Dubai Irish Golf Society tournament.

Away from the fairways, Dubai Duty Free owns and stages the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which reaches a global audience of over 400 million TV viewers and generates media exposure of US$718 million. A keen supporter of horseracing, the operation is probably best known in Ireland for its sponsorship of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, one of Ireland’s most prestigious races which is held at the Curragh Racecourse in June. This year marks the 150th running of this historical race. International horseracing has provided an excellent medium for Dubai Duty Free with the company also sponsoring the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot and Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials and Dubai Duty Free International Raceday at Newbury.

Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free said, “Sports sponsorship plays a huge role in our overall marketing strategy, it fosters goodwill and allows our brand to travel all around the globe. We are delighted to become the title sponsor of the Irish Open hosted by The Rory Foundation. The tournament has a tremendous history and is the flagship golf event in Ireland providing thrilling golfing action for spectators, golf fans and television viewers around the world. This year’s tournament features a fantastic line up and we are very much looking forward to working with Rory McIlroy and his Foundation, The European Tour, Tourism Northern Ireland and the members and management of Royal County Down on this prestigious sporting event.”

Northern Ireland’s Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Arlene Foster, said: "I welcome the announcement that Dubai Duty Free is to become title sponsor of the Irish Open. The partnership with Dubai Duty Free will further raise the profile of the tournament when it takes place in Northern Ireland this year, and again in 2017, and will help to increase our reputation as a fantastic golfing destination. This sponsorship announcement is further proof that we are establishing Northern Ireland as the home of great events with which world class brands wish to be associated.”

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dubai Duty Free as a title sponsor on The European Tour and look forward to expanding our partnership with another powerful global brand which has vast experience in the sports sponsorship market.

“By becoming the title sponsor to the Irish Open, Dubai Duty Free is making its mark on golf’s world stage and further showcasing the close collaboration that exists between so many of Dubai’s leading companies and The European Tour. With many of the game’s biggest names competing on the iconic links of Royal County Down, we believe the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by The Rory Foundation will deliver superb value to Dubai Duty Free and all of our event partners.”

More than 80,000 spectators are expected and tens of thousands of tickets have already been sold for the event, which is supported by Tourism Northern Ireland.

2/06/2015

Clarke New MENA Ambassador

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Darren Clarke has accepted the invitation to become a Patron of the Tour.

The 2012 Open champion is no stranger to the region, having competed in the Dubai Desert Classic 20 times since making his first appearance in 1992. Clarke also took part in last year’s inaugural DUBAi Open.

In his new role as Patron, the popular Ulsterman will provide strategic input into the planning, implementation and management of the programmes of the Tour.

Clarke said: “I’ve been coming to Dubai for a very long time. It is one of my favourite places in the world to keep coming back to. I’ve always been actively involved in trying to promote golf to youngsters, especially in Ireland. When the opportunity came up and Mohamed (Juma Buamaim, Chairman of MENA Tour) asked me to be a Patron of the Tour, I was only too glad to accept.

“I will be playing at least one of the MENA Tour events. I’m a Patron and I want to support it, so I will be playing. But I see my role as someone who advises the MENA Tour members, if any of them want to ask for my advice, through my years of playing and what I’ve learned. It could be advice on how to manage their time when they are on Tour; advice as to how to improve. I also want to be involved with it and I want to try to make the tournaments themselves better.

“My participation with the MENA Tour is not only to help the pros, but also to try to promote golf in the area and get more people playing the game because you have some of the best facilities here in the world.”

Welcoming Clarke on board, Buamaim said: “We have grown tremendously in the last four years, but needed to give this tour a little bit of a push, and also we needed a little bit of guidance and we needed somebody who is a friend of ours who has been with us for a long time, and we couldn’t find anyone better than Darren.

“Many more countries in the region have expressed their interest in hosting the event, which is a good sign. With Darren being the Patron, I am confident that there are truly exciting times ahead as he shares our mission to drive the game forward. The journey that began four years also is fast picking up pace."

The MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011.

2/03/2015

Moy Park Official Irish Open Sponsor

European Tour

Moy Park, has become an Official Sponsor of the 2015 Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation, which takes place at Royal County Down Golf Club from May 28 – 31..

This will be the fourth year that Moy Park has been an Official Sponsor of the tournament, having launched its successful partnership with the event at the 2012 Irish Open at Royal Portrush.

Alan Gibson, Moy Park UK and Ireland Director, said: “We are delighted to be an Official Sponsor of the Irish Open again this year. This will be the first time in 76 years that the Irish Open has been played at the world famous links in Newcastle, Co. Down, and only the second time in the last 60 years that Northern Ireland will host the event.

“The Moy Park brand is Ireland’s number one poultry brand and we are one of the largest companies in Northern Ireland, so we felt it was important to support such a prestigious event. The Irish Open will attract many visitors to Northern Ireland and will provide an opportunity for us to showcase not only our world-class hospitality but also our fantastic local produce.”

This is the first time the Irish Open is hosted by Rory McIlroy’s Foundation. The World Number One and reigning Open and US PGA Champion will be joined by two fellow Major winners from Northern Ireland, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke, as well as a host of other world class golfers such as McIlroy’s close friend and Ryder Cup opponent, Rickie Fowler.

James Finnigan, Commercial Director of the Irish Open, welcomed the continuation of Moy Park’s involvement in the Irish Open, commenting: “We are pleased that Moy Park has decided to renew their association with The Irish Open at the Official Sponsor level. It is excellent news for the Irish Open that such a leading global food company wishes to be an integral part of our commercial programme. With the number one golfer in the world headlining the 2015 player field on one of the world’s iconic golf courses, it is going to be a very special Irish Open Championship at Royal County Down”.

1/31/2015

Rory In Desert Battles to Hold Lead

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Rory McIlroy was relieved to get through the third round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic without a bogey on his card after scrambling hard for pars in his six-under 66.

The world No 1 looked set to break Stephen Gallacher's 54-hole record score of 21 under par after he picked up five birdies over the first eight holes to storm six strokes clear of the field.

He lost momentum when he lipped out from barely two feet for birdie at the 10th, and he then became ragged off the tee and did well to string together eight straight pars before getting up and down from thick rough for birdie at 17.

McIlroy's drive at the last leaked into the first cut, and his attempt to find the green in two came up short as his four-iron from over 200 yards failed to clear the water.

But he pitched to 20 feet and rolled in another excellent putt to make it two whole rounds without a blemish on his card, and he will head into the last round four shots clear of Morten Orum Madsen.

"It meant a lot, to be bogey free again today was important to me. To get that up and down on the last was big for momentum going into tomorrow," he told Sky Sports 4.

Great position

"It was nice to make one birdie on 17 and then a great save on the last, it was nice to go round there with no bogeys. I can't complain, another good round and I'm in a great position going into Sunday.

"I was just trying to get as many in front as I could. I knew I had some chances coming in but saying that, the back nine did play tricky. The greens got firm, the wind got up a little bit, so it was hard to get the ball close to the hole.

"You had to hit quality shots to give yourself chances for birdies, and I didn't quite do that on the back nine like I did on the front.

"I didn't put a foot wrong on the front nine and, when I missed that little short putt on 10, it seemed like that momentum I had just sort of went away and had to scramble a little bit for pars coming in.

"I've been in this position many times before, so I know the pitfalls that are waiting out there. It's just a matter of sticking to the same game plan, being aggressive, making committed swings and giving myself as many chances for birdies as I can."

RMAC on the Attack in Dubai

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Rory McIlroy’s peerless power and precision has put him in pole position at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

The Northern Irishman produced a superb bogey-free eight-under-par 64 to take a one-shot lead over Scotland’s Marc Warren at 14-under.

Graeme McDowell trails Rory by two strokes after firing a second round 65

McIlroy underlined his class by closing with three successive birdies but even so, he would have come off the course with the feeling he could have gone even lower on a track where he recorded his maiden professional victory in 2009.

That shows how far the 24-year-old’s expectations have risen in the six years since he lifted the title at the Emirates Golf Club, during which time he has won four majors with two of those coming in the last six months.

“It was good. I hit a couple of loose shots early on but found my rhythm and after that I played pretty well and converted most of my chances,” he told European Tour Radio.

“You can’t ask for much more: bogey-free, eight birdies. I’ve set myself up nicely for a good run at it in the next couple of days.

“I saw a stat yesterday that since the first round of The Open, I’ve played 45 rounds and a third of them were 66 or better, which just shows you the level that I am at.

“I’ve put the work in and I’ve worked hard; I continue to work hard and this is the result, which is nice.

“I am very comfortable and a lot of the parts of my game are in good shape but the conditions out there are absolutely perfect so I would expect the scoring to stay low for the weekend and I am going to have to carry on playing like this.

“It is the best place to be, one shot ahead, but you just got to go out and be aggressive and try to make as many birdies as you can.

“I’m going to need something similar over the weekend to stay in the same position, as there are so many people close to the lead, it is so bunched up, you can’t play defensively on this course.”

McIlroy’s power advantage was evident early on as he almost eagled the 351-yard second after driving the green but had to settle for one of three birdies in his first five holes.

That put him four off the lead but back-to-back birdies at the 10th and par-three 11th, where he hit a brilliant approach to three feet, got him moving again and he would have advanced quicker had a four-foot birdie attempt not lipped out at the next and not mis-read from inside 10 feet at the 13th and 14th.

But he continued to push hard and at both 16 and 17 he hit driver then wedge to eight and six feet respectively before holing an 18-footer at the 564-yard last having flown the water-guarded green with his approach.

McIlroy’s performance took the shine off Warren’s round of 65, which was possibly not as clean but included nine birdies – including five in six holes from the 13th, having started on the back nine.

The in-form Scot, runner up in Qatar last week, is now 30 under for his last five rounds and he told Sky Sports News: “It was very good from the fairways but scrappier than I would have wanted off the tees.

“(In) Abu Dhabi I drove the ball really well, I improved my iron play last week and I am giving myself lots of chances.”

England’s Seve Benson and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell lead the chasing pack with 12 players within four shots of the lead.

Among them are Englishman Lee Westwood, who was bogey-free in carding 68, and Dane Morten Orum Madsen who had seven birdies and an eagle on the way to a best-of-the-week 63.

Darren Clarke was the only one to miss the cut after a second round 71.

Peter Lawrie made it into the money with a 69 on Friday which put just on the cut line and an invaluable weekend's golf.

Michale Hoey ended T49th after a 70

Damien McGrane carded a 71.

1/30/2015

Classic for McIlroy in Dubai Desert

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Rory McIlroy confessed the conditions were almost too easy as he joined a host of players in cashing in on a low-scoring first day of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Bernd Wiesberger made the most of lower than predicted winds to fire a flawless 64 and take a one-shot lead into the second round, with 18 players within three shots of the Austrian.

One of those is McIlroy, whose 66 was enough to leave him six under, two off the lead, as he chases victory after finishing second in his last three events.

The world number one was returning to the scene of his first professional win six years ago, where he has secured four consecutive top-10 finishes, and showed why he is so fond of the Emirates Golf Club with seven birdies and just a single bogey on the ninth.

The wind normally poses some challenge in Dubai but still conditions led to low scoring and McIlroy, who started on the 10th, admitted he would have liked more of a test.

“I’d be disappointed if I didn’t shoot anything below 68 today, especially with the conditions and 66 is a nice start,” he told Sky Sports 4.

“I’d like to see it blow a little bit and make it more of a challenging golf course. You still need to hit the shots, but it would be nice to play in some conditions that are a little different than this.”

He added on the European Tour website: “It was a little disappointing to bogey the last but the golf I played up until then was nice.

“It’s a solid start. I felt like I hit the ball very well for the most part and gave myself plenty of birdie chances and was able to covert a few more of them than I was doing in Abu Dhabi a couple of weeks ago.

“I putted nicely and it’s definitely something to build on for the next few days.”

Wiesberger came alive on the back nine after reaching the turn in 33, picking up a shot on 10 and then registering five consecutive birdies from 13 to set the target.

“I’ve always played well here,” he said. “I know I can make a lot of birdies out here.

“Perfect conditions like we have had the last couple of weeks make the guys go low.”

Wiesberger was one shot clear of a chasing group of four which featured Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, American Peter Uihlein and English duo Lee Westwood and Andy Sullivan.

Sullivan claimed his first European Tour title at the South African Open earlier this year and was in sparkling form again as he recorded five birdies and an eagle on the 18th to share the lead.

The likeable 28-year-old was playing alongside McIlroy and Martin Kaymer and, while he looked perfectly at home in such company, he admitted to being a little overawed.

“It’s one of the best days of my life out there today, just watching Rory and Martin go at it,” he said.

“When I first looked at the draw I thought they’d messed it up. I thought ’I can’t be playing with these guys’. It’s an absolute pleasure.

“I didn’t really look at the leaderboard today. I was just watching them guys play golf and it was just absolutely fantastic, one of the best days of my life.

“And to play the way I did as well was brilliant.”

Fellow Englishman Westwood has 22 more Tour wins than Sullivan and finished with two birdies in a flawless 65.

Two-time defending champion Stephen Gallacher was alongside McIlroy on six under with the Ryder Cup duo being joined by another Scot in Marc Warren, German Maximilian Kieffer, Dane Anders Hansen, Englishman Seve Benson and South Africa’s Hennie Otto.

Graeme McDowell finished birdie-birdie to join the group on five under which included Kaymer, Race to Dubai leader Danny Willett and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo, who went out in 37 but came back in 30 as he birdied his last seven holes.

Graeme McDowell carded a round of 65.

Damien McGrane finished one under par.

Michael Hoey signed for a level par 72.

Peter Lawrie faces a tough second day after an opening 73 and needing at leats three shots to get back near the projected cut line.

1/28/2015

No Line on the Horizon - McIlroy

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Rory McIlroy is hoping for a swift court case between himself and Horizon Sports Management so that he can get back to doing what his does best on the golf course.

McIlroy took action against his former employers, claiming he is entitled to repudiate a December 2011 agreement with the three companies, on grounds that it was improvident.

Horizon Sport Management Ltd, Gurteen Ltd and Canovan Management Services deny his claims and have counter-claimed for damages.

"I want to put in a good performance this week, try to win and then turn my attention to the court case - hopefully it won't take too long and we can get it over and done with," said McIlroy ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic.

"It's not something you want hanging over your head and it's not something I'd want anyone to go through, it's not a nice process.

"It's a shame it's gone this far and that two sides see things completely differently. The only way to sort it out is to get a judger to come in and tell us what to do."

McIlroy is fully focuses on the week's action however.

"I am disappointed if I don't win, to be honest," he added. "You're not here to try to finish in the top five.

"I'd definitely like to break the runners-up duck the right way than the wrong way. We'll see. But I'm comfortable on this golf course, and I have good memories here, and I seem to play the course very well."

McIlroy was runner-up in the World Tour Championship in November, the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December, and the Abu Dhabi Championship two weeks ago in his first start of the year.

To finish the tour's desert swing a winner again, he will have to beat the likes of world No. 2 Henrik Stenson, No. 5 Sergio Garcia, No. 12 Martin Kaymer, and two-time defending champion Stephen Gallacher, who is a remarkable 55-under par in his last three tournaments on the Majlis course at Emirates.

Then he has a date in a Dublin court next week, as his legal battle with Horizon Sports, his former management company, inches toward a final judgement.

McIlroy said he was trying not to think of the court case until after the tournament.

"To be honest, I've been concentrating on my golf and practice, and that stuff is much more important to me than what's going to happen next week," he said.

"I will be relieved when this (case) is over. It's not something that I would want anyone to go through. I'm going to be heading to the States regardless, with it off my mind and not having to deal with it or think about it anymore."

The classic also marks the first start of the year for Europe Ryder Cup stars Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell. Ernie Els, a three-time classic winner, and holder of the course record of 11-under par 61, is also entered.

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