Killarney determined to justify Tour's Open door policy
The European Open's fate is a lesson to other events on the circuit, writes Dermot Gilleece
Sunday December 20 2009
In 2002, when talk of billions was generally limited to our healthy pension reserve fund, this country played host to five European Tour events with prize funds totalling €13.1m. Next season, the whole of these islands will stage no more than six such tournaments -- three of them in Scotland and one each in Ireland, England and Wales.
An overall drop from 13 'home countries' events in 2002 indicates the extent to which tournament golf is reflecting these straitened times.
Perhaps the greatest surprise in the 2010 schedule is the absence of the European Open. George O'Grady, chief executive of the European Tour, spoke about it going "on the shelf for the moment". He added: "We could have taken the easy option and used the title for another event somewhere in Europe, but this championship has only been on the highest quality golf courses and we want to keep it that way."
So, we have reason to be grateful for the survival of the Irish Open at Killarney over the August bank holiday next year. Still, while O'Grady described title sponsors 3Mobile as "a really strong partner", he expressed concern that getting the full sponsorship package in place was proving to be a struggle.
Looking back to the inaugural European Open at Walton Heath in 1978, its launch owed much to the foresight of Swedish sports celebrity, Sven Tumba, who floated the idea to O'Grady's predecessor, Ken Schofield, during the Ryder Cup matches at Royal Lytham the previous year.
Recalling those embryonic days, Schofield said: "My first objectives were to ensure a suitable venue and a suitable television contract. Then, along with Sven's appointed tournament organisers, Executive Sports Inc (a Florida golf company involving Jack Nicklaus), we made the necessary arrangements for the championship."
Among these was an approach to former Irish amateur international, Bill McCrea, who was secretary of Walton Heath at the time. Interestingly, in the light of its current plight after two years at The London Club, the event broke new ground in the early years by being run without a main sponsor while relying on financial support from several sources.
Either way, it became a resounding success and was a seriously prized title when Smurfit became its longest-ever sponsor in a K Club arrangement extending from 1995 to 2007. The 1995 staging will be remembered for the appearance of the majority of the team which regained the Ryder Cup at Oak Hill the previous week; and for the professional debut of Padraig Harrington, for whom it proved to be a troubled baptism.
"Well-wishers have been telling me that there's no difference in playing as a professional," he said on the Wednesday of tournament week. "Well, I've discovered one." He was stunned to learn that while his 60-degree Ping L-wedge was perfectly acceptable in amateur events, it was illegal on the European Tour at that time, because of its square grooves. Ironically, a new regulation sees the return once more of V-grooves to the Tour in the New Year.
In the event, the 24-year-old faced a hectic search for a replacement for what he described as the third most important club in his bag, after the driver and putter. And though the problem was eventually solved by Headfort professional, Brendan McGovern, it failed to save Harrington from a missed cut and a trip to the Qualifying School later that year.
During its 13 years at The K Club, the European Open became a very significant platform for one Irish player in particular. In the second round in 1999, Darren Clarke carded a sizzling 60, only to lose out to Lee Westwood for the title. Two years later, however, Clarke rebounded with an overdue victory.
Killarney, which staged the Irish Open in 1991 and 1992, will mark the second of a three-year contract with 3Mobile who have an option for two more stagings after that. Meanwhile, George O'Grady warned: "Though Killarney have been very helpful, the fact is that the tournament needs more local support. We're still a sponsor short. The Tour is still investing money in the Irish Open and we hope to at least break even this coming year. One more sponsor and we'll be there."
He added pointedly: "The market is improving but the European Open experience illustrates that there's no God-given right to have a tournament in Ireland, or anywhere else for that matter."
On a recent visit to Killarney, I met Jerry O'Grady, executive of the local Chamber of Tourism and Commerce. "Having previously bid for the 2009 Irish Open, we're determined to make a success of this one," he said. "So, there's been a meeting of minds as to what needs to be done, given that the event could be worth €30m to the Kerry region."
Generating local sponsorship, however, had to be viewed against the background of Killarney being essentially a tourist town, with the notable exception of Liebherr cranes. So their first move was to set aside about 100 hotel rooms at virtually no cost from the town's complement of 3,500. Aimed at facilitating organisers, players and officials, this is worth an estimated €150,000. Other, so-called softer benefits are also being made available.
"We are prepared to work with the Tour to make whatever needs to happen, happen," says Jerry O'Grady. "And I'm optimistic they won't be disappointed."
When Nick Faldo retained the title in 1992 after a play-off with South Africa's Wayne Westner, his first reaction was to thank "the Irish for loving me." Focus of most affection, however, was unquestionably the setting which had rarely looked lovelier.
It is this magical ingredient which convinces locals they can once more deliver something special next summer.
Originally published in
