GOLF Irish Sports Council backing Challenge Tour visit
The Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson has been given a major boost after The Irish Sports Council announced its support for the European Challenge Tour event, which will return to Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club, Co. Westmeath, from July 31 – August 3.
The Irish Sports Council currently supports individual Irish players on the Challenge Tour through the Team Ireland Golf Trust initiative, but it has now also put its weight behind the showcase tournament itself following the success of last year’s inaugural event.
Last year’s Challenge of Ireland Presented by Glasson was part of the legacy of The 2006 Ryder Cup and the Irish Sports Council hopes that young home-grown talent will this year be inspired by the recent fine performances of Irish players on the international stage.
John Treacy, Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council, welcomed the return of the tournament.
He said: “It is essential that a Challenge Tour event is hosted in Ireland. It enhances our players’ opportunities for success on the Tour and showcases Ireland’s outstanding golf courses. The Council is delighted to be associated with Glasson and it will form part of our comprehensive package of support to Irish golf. It complements the Team Ireland Golf Trust which is proving to be a very successful programme on behalf of aspiring touring professionals.”
Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Lough Ree, the championship venue was designed by one of Ireland’s greatest ever golfers, Christy O’Connor Jnr., and will give the next generation of Irish golfers the chance to shine.
Belfast’s Michael Hoey, who recorded a third Challenge Tour victory at last week’s Banque Populaire Moroccan Classic 2008, will be among a number of young Irish golfers in the field at Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club.
Hoey’s success in Morocco was the latest in a line of recent Irish triumphs, following victories for Graeme McDowell, Damien McGrane, Darren Clarke and Peter Lawrie on The European Tour in the last two months.
The former British Amateur Champion and a member of the triumphant 2001 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team, is hoping that his win in Morocco can inspire similar success among his countrymen on the Challenge Tour.
Hoey said: “Padraig Harrington really set the ball rolling with his win at The Open, which gave everyone in the country a big boost and inspired the players to follow his lead. Golf’s massive in Ireland, and it put the sport onto the back pages again.
“We then had to wait a while for another win, and now three have come along in as many weeks. There’s definitely a feel good factor in the country at the moment, and hopefully we can keep that going for a little while longer yet.
“My victory in the Banque Populaire Morroccan Classic, has given me a great position to build on for the rest of the season. I’m particularly looking forward to the Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson and the chance to compete on home soil. Glasson is a venue that we all really enjoyed last year as it was a fantastic test of golf, and with a bit of Irish sunshine it can be one of the most picturesque venues we play on the Challenge Tour. Hopefully it can also inspire some more Irish success. ”
He concluded: “My win last week emphasises the importance of Ireland hosting its own Challenge Tour event as it provides young Irish players like myself with the opportunity to receive invites to play in other tournaments in Europe during the Challenge Tour season. The Challenge Tour provides the best platform for up and coming players to gain their European Tour cards, so I would hope that the event will be a permanent fixture on the European Challenge Tour schedule for years to come”.
Any player needing further inspiration should look no further than last year’s tournament winner at Glasson - Magnus Carlsson, whose victory helped the Swede to a top 20 finish on the Challenge Tour and qualification for The European Tour, where he has already made a promising start.
Tom Reid, owner and President of Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club, said he was delighted that the prestigious golf event was back in Ireland’s midlands for a second year.
He said: “We are absolutely delighted to have the Challenge of Ireland back to Glasson for a second year. There was such a great atmosphere here last year during the tournament week, that we have been really looking forward to welcoming Europe’s finest up and coming players back to enjoy the beautiful golf course and surroundings at Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club”.
“We got amazing feedback from the players who stayed here and played in the event last year. Their appreciation of the golf course, our new hotel and the stunning scenery on Lough Ree, really encouraged us to make this year’s tournament even bigger and better than the inaugural event in August of last year”.
Alain de Soultrait, Director of the European Challenge Tour, added: “We are delighted to be returning to Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club which provided such a fitting venue last year. I would personally like to thank Tom and Breda Reid at Glasson for the vision they have shown, in hosting this tournament in such a professional manner. This is an exciting time for Irish golf and this tournament is a great chance for up and coming home players to put themselves in the spotlight. Our thanks must go to Horizon Sports Management for their role in bringing the Challenge Tour to Ireland as well as the Irish Sports Council, Ulster Bank and Grant Engineering for their financial support for this fantastic tournament.”
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