Final Irish Amateur Open for Royal Dublin

Flogas Irish Amateur Open

The Irish Amateur Open Championship will have a new home in 2017 following a 10-year run at Royal Dublin. The move will see the oldest Championship in Irish Amateur golf move to Royal County Down as of next year.

The Newcastle links has been the venue for the Irish Amateur Open in the past but this is the first occasion in modern times that RCD will be host.

Since the Irish Amateur Open was revived in the mid-1990s, Royal Dublin has become synonymous with the Championship and has witnessed a litany of great champions such as Portmarnock’s Noel Fox – a two-time winner – South African Louis Oosthuizen and The Island’s Gavin Moynihan, who captured his second title in 2015.

Widely regarded as the finest golf course in the world, Ireland’s premier Championship will return to Royal County Down after a 58-year gap. Jimmy Bruen (1938) and Cecil Ewing (1948) are among the list of players who have won Ireland’s blue-riband amateur championship at RCD.

In 2015 Royal County Down hosted the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and it also staged the Walker Cup matches in 2007.

Flogas has also joined forces with the Golfing Union of Ireland to become the new title sponsor of the Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship which takes place this week at Royal Dublin [May 5th - 8th].  

Flogas has agreed a three-year sponsorship deal which continues into 2017 and 2018.

As an added incentive for this year’s winner at Royal Dublin, a place in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at The K Club awaits. 

Related articles

• Schwartzel skipping Olympics
• Schwartzel Becomes 4th Major Champion to Skip Olympics
• Schwartzel becomes 4th major champion to skip Olympics
• Schwartzel latest major champ to skip Rio Games
• WATCH: Is this the greatest ace in Masters history?

Five Irish Contest Tshwane Open

Getty Images

Shane Lowry, Damien McGrane, Gareth Maybin, Peter Lawrie and Kevin Phelan are in action this week in South Africa and join Jaco Van Zyl, who hopes to continue the excellent record of South African players on home soil at the Tshwane Open.

Home players have won nine of the last 11 European Tour events in South Africa, but Van Zyl is still awaiting his breakthrough after runner-up finishes at the Africa Open and Trophée Hassan II. 

"As South Africans we always feel a bit more pressure playing European Tour events at home, but we've always done well in these events," said Van Zyl, who has made every cut this season and finished tied for fifth in East London two weeks ago.

"We're very competitive and we like marking our territory and won't give it up that easily. It would be nice if it's my turn this week."

Dawie van der Walt admits he faces a journey into the unknown as he looks to defend his title this week.

Van der Walt won his maiden European Tour title in the inaugural Tshwane Open 12 months ago and also triumphed at the Nelson Mandela Championship in December, but does not know how he will respond to the pressure of being defending champion.

"This is the first time I am defending so I don't really know what it's like," Van der Walt told the European Tour podcast. "We will see how I deal with the pressure of defending.

"I am not putting too much pressure on myself, my goal for this week is just to have a chance going into the last day to defend the title, not be too far back.

"If I can defend it, great; if I don't I'm not going to let it affect me too much."

Van der Walt won by two shots from compatriot Darren Fichardt last year on the Ernie Els-designed Copperleaf Golf & Country Estate at Centurion, which at 7,964 yards is the longest course in European Tour history.

It is also the first European Tour course to have four par fives measuring over 600 yards, while the 685 yard par five fourth hole is the longest in European Tour history.

"Last year the course was long but this year it's ridiculous. It's almost crazy," said local favourite Fichardt, who was born in Pretoria and is attached to Centurion.

"It's going to be demanding on your long-iron play, and it's going to put pressure on your chipping and putting.

"I like this course and I've been pretty consistent this year. I play here a lot and I'm hitting it a bit longer, which helps around here."

World Number 53 George Coetzee is the highest ranked player in the field and reached the last-16 in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona last week.

Coetzee beat World Number 13 Steve Stricker in the first round and Patrick Reed in the second at Dove Mountain, before losing 3 and 1 to eventual champion Jason Day.

The Joburg Open winner has been paired with England's Tommy Fleetwood and fellow South African van Zyl in the first two rounds.

Related articles

• Local golfers to set pace
• 2014 Tshwane Open
• Peterborough's Centurion Business centre receives golden touch from Midas Technologies
• Nelson Mandela Championships: Dawie van der Walt wins title
• South African Van der Walt wins Nelson Mandela Championship
• SAfrica's Van Der Walt Wins Mandela Championship

South Africa Next for McGinley

Getty Images

Paul McGinley travels to South Africa to compete in the 103rd South African Open Championship at Glendower Golf Club from November 21-24, hoping to find some of the same magic that sparked defending champion Henrik Stenson’s spectacular return to form.

South African golf fans will get the chance to see the popular Irishman in action when he lines up alongside the Swedish world number four in the first counting event on The 2014 European Tour International Schedule.

McGinley has enjoyed an illustrious career on The European Tour, including four victories and three victorious Ryder Cup performances. He will always be remembered for holing the winning putt at The Belfry in 2002, and he is now determined to add his name to the star-studded list of former champions of the world second oldest national Open, a championship co-sanctioned between the Sunshine Tour and The European Tour.

“There is certainly an impressive list of names already on the trophy and I would love nothing more than to add mine on there as well,” said McGinley.

McGinley first came out to South Africa in 1997 and returned for the South African Open in 1999, 2001 and 2004. The 46 year old Dubliner says he is relishing the opportunity to return to South Africa.

“I love playing in South Africa because the crowds are always supportive and cheerful – they just want to come out and watch great golf and support everyone. The weather is always great, too.

“It’s going to be huge year for me in 2014, but first I just want to see 2013 out among friends and fans and who knows, maybe a little South African magic will rub off on me too.”

McGinley is joined by Stenson, former SA Open champions James Kingston and Hennie Otto, Sunshine Tour winners Darren Fichardt, Jaco van Zyl and Dawie van der Walt, as well as world class players such as Ross Fisher, Edoardo Molinari and Scott Jamieson at the 103rd South African Open Championship.

Related articles

• McGinley Delays WildCards
• McGinley Offers Ryder Cup Spots
• Schwartzel signs up for SA Open
• Two Mac's Get Irish Open Date
• Lowry Best as Gonzo Wins
• 4 weeks that could shape Europe's Ryder Cup team