Rory McIlroy has confirmed that he will join fellow Major winners Shane Lowry, Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Mount Juliet from July 1-4.

His presence for the first time since 2018 is a big boost to an event that will have only limited galleries due to Covid-19 restrictions.

“I am really excited to get back and play the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open,” said McIlroy. “I have so many incredible memories of this event down the years, not least my victory in 2016. It is going to be a pretty special week with the fans returning. I’m really excited to play in front of them again.”

A limited number of tickets will go on sale tomorrow with a certain percentage of them donated to key frontline workers in recognition of their dedicated work throughout the pandemic.

McIlroy will bid to end his near seven-year wait for a Major win when he joins Lowry in next week’s US Open at Torrey Pines.

But Harrington (49) agonisingly finished a shot outside a five-man play-off for the last four spots in his weather-delayed, 36-hole qualifier for 16 places in Ohio yesterday.

The Dubliner, who was looking to play in the US Open for the first time since 2013, parred his last three holes at Lakes Golf & Country Club in Columbus, missing from 15 feet for birdie at the last as he carded a four-under 68 to tie for 17th on five-under.

Cole Hammer took the first alternate’s spot, but Harrington missed out in a 12-man shootout to be second reserve as England’s Ben Taylor holed a 115-yard approach for an eagle two at the 10th.

Harrington now joins Séamus Power in this week’s Palmetto Championship at Congaree in South Carolina.

Meanwhile, Castle’s Robert Moran beat Hermitage’s Rowan Lester in a three-hole aggregate play-off as Lahinch’s Aideen Walsh cruised to an eight-shot win at the ISPS Handa Ulster Men’s and Women’s Stroke Play at Royal County Down.

Moran came from seven shots behind, carding a 69 to Lester’s 76, to force a play-off on five-under 218.

Walsh closed with a two-under 74 to turn her one-stroke overnight lead into an eight-shot win over Jessica Ross on two-over. She will join Moran and Lester in the ISPS Handa World Invitational at Galgorm Castle and Massereene from July 28 to August 1.

In the 118th Women’s Amateur Championship at Kilmarnock (Barassie), Beth Coulter (fourth), Sara Byrne (23rd), Rebekah Gardner (37th), Paul Grant (38th), Kate Lanigan (52nd) and Aine Donegan (64th) qualified for today’s matchplay stages.