Ireland Will Host The 2018 World Amateur Teams Championships

The Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union have secured the hosting rights for the 2018 Espirito Santo and Eisenhower Trophies (the Ladies and Men's World Amateur Team Championships), with the Montgomerie and O'Meara courses at Carton House being confirmed as the venues for the events.

The vote on the destination of the 2018 championships took place at the biennial meeting of the International Golf Federation in Karuizawa, Japan, where the 2014 World Amateur Team Championships are currently being held.

Both events have a rich history - the Eisenhower Trophy was inaugurated at St Andrews in 1958 and the Espirito Santo in France some six years later. On only one prior occasion, however, has the Eisenhower Trophy been played for in Britain or Ireland - on its inaugural staging at The Old Course in St Andrews.

The Eisenhower Trophy is a 72-hole stroke play team championship, with 72 nations participating in this year's event in Japan.

The Espirito Santo Trophy consists of an identical format, with 51 nations competing in 2014.

Prior to 2002, Ireland's participation in the event was as part of a joint GB&I team. Since this time, however, the four Home Unions have each sent individual teams, with Scotland winning in 2008 in Australia.

Ireland's best finish since this time was fifth place in Argentina in 2010, with the team consisting of current European Tour professional Kevin Phelan, 2012 Amateur Champion Alan Dunbar and Paul Cutler, who went on to be GB&I's top scorer at the 2011 Walker Cup Matches.

A joint delegation from the GUI and ILGU are currently in Japan and were conducting an information campaign ahead of the vote. The Irish bid was also supported by Failte Ireland's recently-announced Major Events Unit, which is tasked with growing international visitation through the events sector.

The Major Events Unit are aiming to achieve this goal by identifying, bidding for and winning major events for Ireland in partnership with relevant stakeholders. It is targeting events which have a proven capacity to deliver a significant number of international bed nights, in addition to raising Ireland's sporting and tourism profile generally.

"We are delighted that the WATC will be playing in Ireland in 2018," said Sinead Heraty, Chief Executive of the Irish Ladies Golf Union, following confirmation of Ireland's successful bid.

"Being selected to host the most prestigious amateur golf event in the world is a great achievement for Ireland.

"Ireland has a great history and tradition of hosting successful major golf events and the staging of the World Amateur Team Championships in 2018 will continue that tradition and build awareness of the standard and passion of elite amateur golf.

"Having both the men's and ladies events in Carton House on back-to-back weeks will be a great showcase of amateur golf and compatible with the image we wish to present of the sport."

Pat Finn, General Secretary of the Golfing Union of Ireland, added: "We are delighted that the member countries of the International Golf Federation have unanimously approved our bid.

"With 72 national teams from five different continents, the World Amateur Team Championships will be the most extensive international golf event that has ever been hosted on the island of Ireland, and we are looking forward to the challenge it will present.

"We are extremely grateful to Carton House for agreeing to put their facilities forward in bidding for the event.

"We are also very grateful to the Irish Sports Council and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, both of whom endorsed our application to bid for the event, and to Failte Ireland's Major Events Unit for their tremendous support of our bid.

"We are looking forward to working closely with all of them in what will be an exciting time over the next few years as we prepare to host the world of golf at Carton House."