Irish Open Totally Sold Out in Portrush

The Irish Open has made European Tour history by becoming the first regular Tour event to sell out completely over all four days of this year’s championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club.

In recent weeks, the Tour has closed the sale of tickets, firstly for the weekend’s play, then Friday’s second round. Now the sale of tickets on the gate for tomorrow’s opening round has ceased, creating an unprecedented sell-out.

A total of 27,000 people each day will descend on Royal Portrush between Thursday and Sunday as Northern Ireland welcomes an Irish Open to its shores for the first time since 1953. Spectators are advised that no tickets will be sold at the gate for the duration for the tournament.

The combination of the sell-out and one of the strongest fields on The European Tour Schedule has resulted in a Major-like atmosphere at the County Antrim links course, even before a competitive ball has been struck.

Over 4,000 people attended the opening practice round at the Dunluce Links while a crowd of 14,225 added an exciting dimension to the star-studded Wednesday Pro-Am.

“The 2012 Irish Open has exceeded all expectations in terms of advance ticket sales. Following the announcement that the last three days were sold out, we had a considerable up-take for Thursday which has culminated in us putting up the ‘sold out’ signs,” said Championship Director Antonia Beggs.

“We urge spectators not to arrive at the gate in hope of purchasing tickets, as there will be no further sales for the 2012 Irish Open.”

The European Tour hope to make an announcement later this week about the sale of tickets for the 2013 Irish Open at Carton House near Dublin from June 27-30.

Portrush Gives GMAC Great Pride

Graeme McDowell, runner-up at the US Open a fortnight ago, does not want to be swept up by what is happening in his home town this week.

Portrush stages the first Irish Open in Northern Ireland for 59 years, but McDowell said on Wednesday: “It would be easy to get lost in the whole emotion of it. I want to enjoy it, but I want to enjoy it at the business end of things on Sunday.

“I would rate winning this just outside the majors. It’s about winning in front of your home fans. Northern Ireland has had its problems, but the town’s buzzing and there’s a sense of pride to see this great event here.”

After narrowly missing out to Webb Simpson two weeks ago at The Olympic Club, McDowell has certainly received a welcome boost from returning to his homeland.

“When I got here Monday morning, just driving to the golf course I got a sense of pride to see this great event here,” he added.

“It’s been a great run the last couple of years for Northern Irish golf, and I guess to be part of the reason why this tournament is here is very humbling. Growing up in this town, you dream of having a big type of event here, and it’s a culmination of a lot of hard work from a lot of people.

“There’s been a huge amount of excitement in the town since the announcement that we were coming here. The town has been buzzing, and there’s been a lot of work done around the area. I think we are all very, very excited.

“Personally, I’m proud to be able to have The European Tour come to my part of the world, and the golf course is it in great condition. The weather forecast wasn’t great this morning, but we got away with it and fingers crossed for a great weekend.

“It’s exciting – 15,000 people out there watching a Pro-Am this morning was incredible. It’s really good for all of the players, and just gives us a sense of what people have thought of what we have achieved the last few years.

“There’s no doubt that people are proud of this golf course and they are proud of this part of the world, and they are coming out in masses to welcome a great European Tour field to this golf course.”

Portrush Open Move Works for Clarke

Darren Clarke believes Royal Portrush could be the perfect place to rediscover his form at this week’s Irish Open.

The Northern Irishman moved back to Portrush four years ago, and believes the switch was a major factor in his Open Championship victory at Sandwich last year.

“The Irish Open has always been one of my favourite tournaments and to have it here in Royal Portrush with this amount of people here already coming to the tournament – sold out for the first time in European Tour history – makes me very, very proud,” said Clarke.

“It’s not just me, everybody at Royal Portrush and the locals are right behind it.

“It’s all worked out unbelievably well. The players love it – it’s almost got an Open feel, which is what I think the course deserves. It’s fantastic to look out there and see all of the locals and what everybody has achieved.

“It’s just a very special place. I moved up here when I was young, and I played an awful lot of my golf here and moved back a couple of years ago.

“Winning The Open last year, a lot of it was due to the fact that I was living here again playing in Royal Portrush. Some of my fellow Tour pros have not been here before, and every one bar none has been full of praise already. The course is looking fantastic.”

Since his emotional Open Championship triumph Clarke has, by his own admission, struggled for consistency.

The 43 year old has not finished better than 20th, and has missed four cuts in his last five stroke play events.

But after a month off, the former Ryder Cup star feels ready to produce his best form on home soil.

“I’ve been down here quite a lot just practicing,” he added. “I’m feeling not too bad, and looking forward to getting back.

“The forecast this week is for some pretty normal Portrush weather which might not be too good, might not be to everybody’s liking – but it is to mine!

“I’ve played the course in some pretty horrific conditions, so hopefully that will be a little bit of an advantage, as it will be to most of the Irish guys that have played here before. It’s a golf course that you need to know a little bit, and definitely in bad weather.

“As for myself, I’ve been working away and hopefully things will turn around pretty soon and get back to where it’s been.

“I think it’s going to be wonderful pictures going around the world of Royal Portrush and the whole area. It’s a huge boost for the area that can only be a good thing. It’s wonderful to see a major tournament back here again at one of the best courses that we’ve got. I doubt we’ll play a better course on The European Tour this year, and that’s the feeling amongst most of the pros.

“For guys to come along here and say, looking around, everything about it, it feels like an Open Championship, is about as big of praise as anybody can give it.”

Rory Looking for Royal Advantage

Rory McIlroy hopes to embrace home advantage when he bids to win the Irish Open for the first time at Royal Portrush this week.

The Northern Irishman has finished in the top ten twice in four appearances in his National Open, but admits that the pressure of being the home favourite has got to him in recent years.

But with the tournament moving north of the border to a course where McIlroy once shot 61 as a teenager, the former US Open Champion is aiming to take full advantage of the huge gallery’s support – with Friday, Saturday and Sunday selling out in advance for the first time in European Tour history.

“To be honest the last couple of years, I didn’t really enjoy the tag of the home favourite,” McIlroy admitted.

“I just didn’t feel very comfortable with it – this year I really want to embrace that. You look at so many people and when they have got a home advantage, it is an advantage, and it should be not just me, but also for the other guys from here as well. It’s something that you really have to embrace, and that’s what I'm going to try and do this week.

“I think everyone has waited a long time for the Irish Open to come back up north and to have it played at one of the best golf courses in the world, Royal Portrush, is fantastic.

“The first ever European Tour event to sell out is something that’s obviously got a lot of people very excited, and it’s shaping up to be a great week.

“It's going to be fantastic. Yesterday I played an early practice round and the people who came out to watch really created a great atmosphere. I’m looking forward to playing in front of all of them this week, and hopefully I can put on a good show.

“The golf course is in great shape – the rough’s thick and greens are running well. Hopefully the weather cooperates a little bit, and it should be a great week of golf.”

After finishing in the top five in his first four European Tour events of the year, McIlroy’s form has tailed off slightly in recent months.

But the 23 year old is confident he is on the right track to return to his world-beating best.

“I’ve put ten days of really good work in,” said the World Number Two. “My game feels good. It actually felt pretty good at the US Open.

“I felt like it was starting to come around. In a way it couldn’t be a better time to come back here and play Portrush. It brings back so many good memories, and you can feed off that, and that gives you some confidence.”

Hoey Not Short on Portrush Praise

Michael Hoey also compared the atmosphere at the 2012 Iris Open at Royal Portrush to that of The Open Championship, and he is delighted with the changes that have been made to the course in preparation for the first Irish Open in Northern Ireland in 65 years.

“I would have laid odds they would have made the golf course a bit short, but they have produced some really good course design,” said the reigning Alfred Dunhill Links Champion.

“They have put a few tees just far enough back, and it’s soft conditions at the minute, which means it’s playing long. So I think this course is now set up just perfectly, and visually it’s great. It’s just pure, great links – a bit like St Andrews. It’s really good.”

Michael will tee off from the 10th at 07:50hrs on Thursday with Thongchai Jaidee and Gonzalo  Fernández-Castaño

2012 Irish Open draw