European Challege Tour Returns

The European Challenge Tour will return to the Republic of Ireland for the first time in six years when the Irish Challenge hosted by Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa and Golf Resort takes place at the prestigious Carlow venue from October 8–11.

It will be the first time the Christy O’Connor Jnr-designed Championship course at Mount Wolseley, located one hour from Dublin, will host a major professional event under the auspices of The European Tour. Tetrarch Capital, the new owners of Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa & Golf Resort, have committed to hosting the event at Mount Wolseley in 2016 and 2017 after signing a three-year deal. The Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI) and the Irish Sports Council have also come on board as partners for the event. 

A host of Ireland’s most promising up and coming stars are expected to join a field which will also comprise many of Europe and the world’s most talented young players. The Challenge Tour has been a proven training ground from which stars like Martin Kaymer, Henrik Stenson, Thomas Bjørn, Brooks Koepka and many others have graduated to The European Tour before going on to international stardom.

The Irish Challenge hosted by Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort is ideally placed in the Challenge Tour’s schedule for a week of golfing drama - the fourth last event of the season - as the race for the top 15 in the Challenge Tour’s Road to Oman Rankings nears its thrilling climax. 

The last time a Challenge Tour event took place in the Republic, Englishman Robert Coles emerged victorious after a play-off with former Ryder Cup star Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium to win the Challenge of Ireland in 2009.

The announcement comes at an opportune time for Irish golf, as young Derryman Ruaidhri McGee continues to impress on the Challenge Tour – currently inside the top ten in the Road to Oman – while a host of promising young players including Paul Dunne, Jack Hume, Gary Hurley, Gavin Moynihan and Cormac Sharvin are rising through the amateur ranks with great distinction.

The Challenge Tour provides the perfect opportunity for players turning professional to make their mark in the paid ranks, and direct graduation to The European Tour is the rich reward for those who succeed. 

That is the reason why many of world’s finest players have chosen to begin their professional careers on Europe’s top developmental tour - with recent BMW PGA Championship winner Byeong-hun An of Korea, as well as the last two respective European Tour Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award winners Koepka and Peter Uihlein, crossing the Atlantic to begin their careers on the Challenge Tour.

Alain de Soultrait, European Challenge Tour Director, said: 

“It is fantastic news that the Challenge Tour will return to the Republic of Ireland for the first time since 2009. The country has produced numerous world-class golfers and possesses many of the finest golf courses on the planet. Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort is a fittingly stunning venue and is sure to be very popular with the players, staff and Ireland’s famously knowledgeable golf fans. 

“A lot of hard work has gone into making this tournament happen and we extend our sincere thanks to Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort and Tetrach Capital for backing this event, as well as the CGI and the Irish Sport Council for their passion and vision in giving Ireland’s up and coming golf stars a chance to make that crucial breakthrough in professional golf. We look forward to a great week in Carlow.”

Mount Wolseley in County Carlow, Ireland, has become firmly established as an attractive option for golf groups and organisers of business and pleasure events. The resort is located just one hour from Dublin and within easy reach also for golfers travelling from points as far apart as the midlands, West, South and Eastern region. The challenging 18-hole Christy O’Connor Junior designed championship course has matured beautifully with age and offers stunning views of the Carlow mountains and countryside.

The Confederation of Golf in Ireland was created last year by the GUI, ILGU and the PGA, to support, promote and develop the sport of golf on the island of Ireland

The formation of the CGI followed 18 months of study and preparation by the associations together with the Irish Sports Council and Sport Northern Ireland. The CGI will complement the work of the associations as well as providing a necessary combined approach to certain key strategic areas in the future development of golf in Ireland.

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Søren Kjeldsen Wins Irish Open

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Søren Kjeldsen ended a six year winless run on the European Tour and booked qualification to this year's Open with victory in the first hole of a three-man play-off at the Irish Open.

Kjeldsen took a two-shot lead into the final round and was one shot ahead with two to play despite being four over par for the day, as the players battled winds gusting up to 40mph in another round of tricky conditions at Royal County Down.

A three-putt bogey on the 17th left Kjeldsen needing to birdie the 18th to win his fourth European Tour title, but after chipping from one side of the green off the other, he did well to get up and down for a closing 76 to join a play-off alongside Bernd Wiesberger and Eddie Pepperell.

The players returned to the par-five 18th for the first hole of sudden death and Kjeldsen was the only one able to find the green in two, before two-putting for a winning birdie.

Kjeldsen had seen his overnight lead wiped out on the opening hole after he dropped a shot and playing partner Max Kieffer made birdie. Despite bogeying the next, a run of five pars was enough retain Kjeldsen’s advantage as the strong wind sent scores soaring, but slipped back again with a double-bogey at the eighth.

The Dane two-putted the par-five 12th for his first birdie of the day, but missed the chance to move two clear when he three-putted the 14th for bogey.

Wiesberger recovered from a dropped shot at the 15th to stay within one of the lead by holing a long putt from over the 16th green, as Pepperell closed his blemish-free round to set the clubhouse target at two-under.

The Englishman, beginning the day seven shots adrift, crucially saved par on the 17th after finding a fairway bunker off the tee, but twice tangled with heavy rough on the 18th and had to settle for a par five.

“I played really well, so I have to credit my putting for no bogeys,” Pepperell told Sky Sports 4. “I think all four days have been tough, so whilst today was very difficult it didn’t feel all that different to what we’d played in the first three days.

“I said to myself anything in the 60s is a really good score, and once I got to two under I kept trying to tell myself the same thing.”

While Carbera-Bello’s hopes ended with dropped shots at the 15th and last, Wiesberger saw an eight-foot birdie chance at the 18th to move to three under slip millimetres wide of the cup.

That left Kjeldsen just needing to par the last two holes to take the title, but he three-putted the 17th and needed to nudge in a four-footer at the last.

Danny Willett had set the early clubhouse target with a three-under 68 to end level par for the week alongside Andy Sullivan, finishing in style with a chip-in eagle from the right-side of the green.

The group a further shot behind included Saturday’s course record breaker Max Kieffer, who closed the week with a six-over 78, with Matt Fitzpatrick posting his first top-ten finish since January.

Rickie Fowler’s Irish adventure ended in a tie for 30th, with Graeme McDowell posting back-to-back birdies late in his round to also finish seven over.

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Harrington Open Chase Fades

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Padraig Harrington's hopes of a second Irish Open success were endedn at Royal County Down on Saturday as Soren Kjeldesen moved up the leaderboard.

The hree-time Major winner Harrington had hoped to apply pressure on the leaders, but dropped seven shots, including three in a row in the final four holes, to finish the day 13 shots behind the leader.

German Maximilian Kieffer shot a course record 65, but along with Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello trails Kjeldesn by three shots after another scintillating round from the 40-year-old Dane.

It was a disappointing day for Irish challengers, with Shane Lowry and Paul McGinley shooting level round scores to remain at +3 and +4 respectively.

Graeme McDowell shot an impressive 69 to move up to three over heading into the final day.

Simon Thornton ended Saturday with  a level par round to remain +5 for the tournament.

Darren Clarke is one stroked adrift on 6 over par signing for a one par 72.

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Søren Kjeldsen’s late slip did not prevent him from taking a handy two stroke lead into the final round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation. The 40 year old was flawless for the majority of a cold, yet bright, day at Royal County Down until he dropped shots on his final two holes.

That ensured the chasing pack remained in touch, led by Maximilian Kieffer after he shot a course record 65 to catapult himself into second place alongside Rafa Cabrera-Bello on five under.

With the weather set to turn sour tomorrow Kjeldsen, who has not won on The European Tour since 2009, had appeared to be making a decisive move when he strung a hat-trick of birdies together from the par four 11th.

The Dane had already picked up three shots on the front nine and as his putter began to run hot – he was only denied an eagle at the par five eighth when rolling a 30 footer just short – his rivals all began to tread water apart from Kieffer.

The German had endured a mixed start to his tournament, as he followed an opening 67 with a 76 yesterday, but was celebrating a new course record this evening as he mixed seven birdies with a single bogey.

It was the best round on a day scores improved dramatically – there were 15 rounds of 60 compared to 14 in total on the first two days – although World Number Nine Rickie Fowler proved that the Newcastle course was hardly playing easy.

Fowler remarkably finished with a pair of eights, he lost his ball off the tee at the 17th as he ran up a quadruple bogey, after he had chipped in to eagle the reachable 16th and give himself hope on the final day.

The American’s forgettable finish almost certainly wiped away those ambitions and put into context Kjeldsen’s own troubles at the end of an otherwise impressive round.

"If you had given me 67 stood on the first tee I would have been very happy.

"I played terrific all day and didn't think I did too much wrong on the last two holes, so I will focus on the first 16," said Kjeldsen.

"Competition is pretty hard out here. It's not easy to win and it's not like I have played poorly for six years, but it's nice to have a chance and it would mean everything to win this event.

“But it's too early to think about that. There are a lot of great players behind me and I need to play well (on Sunday) to have a chance. It's still that open."

Kieffer, chasing his first European Tour title, revealed he benefited from some local knowledge from his friend Stephen Sweeney, who was an assistant professional at Royal County Down for four years.

"He showed us around in the practice round and this is definitely a course where local knowledge helps a lot," Kieffer said.

The highlight of Cabrera-Bello’s day arrived on the 16th when the Spaniard drove the green and sunk an eagle putt, although he dropped a shot on the last – which gave up just two birdies all day.

“I missed a short three putt but overall really pleased,” he said.

“It's been really tough out there, lots of wind, pretty cold and playing in control of my game most of the time. I think it's going to put me in a great position for tomorrow.”

A stroke back sits a group of three players including Bernd Wiesberger, Richie Ramsay and Tyrrell Hatton – who had all shared in last night’s six way lead with Kjeldsen, Cabrera-Bello and Chris Wood.

Wiesberger was level with Kjeldsen after 12 holes today only to join the list of players to struggle into the wind over the closing holes, carding bogeys at 14 and 16.

He was nonetheless content to remain in contention and play well to mark his mother’s 57th birthday.

“It will play tough (tomorrow)”, he said.

“It was not ideal to pick up two bogeys there but it was a tough stretch coming in, and I'm just happy with a round under par today.”

Niclas Fasth was next best placed on two under, as the Swede returned a 67, while Lucas Bjerregaard had equalled the old course record of 66 to be one under alongside former World Number One Luke Donald, Jake Roos and Anthony Wall.

An Byoeng-hun, who won at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last week, shot a 67 to be level with the card.

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McIlroy Cut in County Down

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Rory McIlroy has missed the cut in his home event for the third year running after failing to recover from a nightmare first round at the Irish Open.

The world No 1 always faced an uphill battle to avoid a third straight cut in the event after crashing to an opening 80, with McIlroy failing to make the weekend after a second round 71 at Royal County Down GC. 

McIlroy made his first gain of the round with a lengthy putt at the seventh, before keeping his slim hopes alive with a birdie at the 12th to move back within two of the projected cut.

After a five foot par-save dribbled in at the 14th, McIlroy lost his advantage with a double-bogey at the next, sending his second shot into the rough and thinning his third past the green before three-putting from 40 feet.

Birdie chances from within 10 feet at both the 16th and 17th were dragged wide of the cup, before the tournament host gave the sell-out crowd something to cheer about by rattling in a lengthy birdie at the last.

“When the wind is like this, even when you’re giving yourself birdie chances it’s hard to take them,” McIlroy told Sky Sports 4. “I was trying out there as hard as I could, but just couldn’t get a run of holes going and any momentum.

“I was a couple under through 14 but still needed a good finish, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to do that. I left myself too much to do from yesterday and felt I played a solid round of golf today but just wasn’t enough.

“The support out here is phenomenal; it’s the third year in a row that they’re not going to get to see me play over the weekend, so it’s disappointing to say the least.”

Ryder Cup team-mates Martin Kaymer, Sergio Garcia and Victor Dubuisson also failed to reach the weekend, while American star Rickie Fowler is safely through after carding a second consecutive level par 71 of the week.

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Harrington Up and Down Friday

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Padraig Harrington continued to do everything in his power to ensure his prediction of a home winner came true as the Irish Open resumed at a windswept Royal County Down on Friday.

Former champion Harrington predicted on Wednesday that an Irish player would lift the trophy on Sunday, with world number one Rory McIlroy seemingly the most likely contender.

But while McIlroy faced an uphill battle to avoid a third straight cut in the event after crashing to an opening 80, Harrington claimed a share of the overnight lead with Germany's Max Kieffer with an opening 67.

And after starting his second round on the back nine with a run of six pars, Harrington picked up his first birdie of the day on the 16th to move into the outright lead on five under par.

However depsiet reaching the tun in 34 a double bogey on his 12th started atough runm for hiome that eneded in 4 over poar - signing for a second round 73.

There was simialr news for 2009 Three irish Open winner Shane Lowry who broke his putter as a run of three bogeys in four holes dropped him to four over par.

That was one shot outside the current projected cut, although that seemed certain to rise as more players took to the course, with McIlroy scheduled to start his second round at 1pm.

Harrington holed from 15 feet for birdie on the 17th to extend his lead and missed from just six feet for an eagle on the par-five first, but the tap-in birdie took him further ahead of the chasing pack.

At seven under par the 43-year-old, whose victory in the Honda Classic in March was his first on a major tour since the 2008 US PGA, was three ahead of Kieffer, who had started with two pars, with 2002 winner Soren Hansen, Austria's Bernd Wiesberger and France's Alexander Levy all two under.

Lowry bogeyed the 17th but successfully two-putted the 18th with a wedge to reach the turn in 40, his putter understood to have been damaged after he missed a short putt on the 12th.

Lowry shrugged off his equipment problems to birdie the first and second and improve to three over par, but Harrington's serene progress had come to a grinding halt in the match ahead.

A bogey on the second was followed by a double bogey on the third and another dropped shot on the fourth, leaving the two-time Open champion three under par and one shot behind new leader Wiesberger.

Wiesberger had finished the back nine with birdies on the 16th and 17th and an eagle on the 18th, and then saw playing partner Andy Sullivan hole out with a two iron from 259 yards on the par-five first for an albatross.

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