McLoughlin is not at Mount Juliet this weekend. He was also unable to travel to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh last weekend because of a back problem which he hopes will respond to routine surgery. In fact he hasn’t attended the Irish Open since 2019, because of Covid restrictions.

“In discussions with the Tour, I will be beating the drum about the significant lift Dubai Duty Free gave the Irish Open from what it was prior to our arrival on the scene in 2015,” added McLoughlin. “And I will be pointing out to Rolex the fact that our duty free business with them is a very big account.

“Of our total sales in watches, 55 per cent is Rolex. This amounts to $30m in a year, which is a significant figure. From discussions I’ve already had with Rolex, they readily agree it’s a very good account.”

The reduction in Irish Open prize money last year compared to 2019 was dramatic. A fund of $7m (€5.9m) at Lahinch dropped to €1.25m at Galgorm Castle, where America’s John Caplin received €199,750 as champion. In this year’s European Tour schedule, the only Rolex events are the Abu Dhabi Championship, Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship and the DP World Tour. The prize fund for each of these was increased to $8m, while the Irish Open has come in at €3m.

Dubai Duty Free stayed with the championship last year, effectively to keep it ticking over. Their contribution was worked out through a formula based on spectators. With no spectators, as was the situation at Galgorm Castle, only so much of the original contract was paid. This year, the contribution is greater, based on 2,500 spectators.

According to McLoughlin, his company’s spend on the Irish Open in a normal year is “in excess of €2m”, which includes corporate entertainment. “We generally negotiate on a two-year basis and next year’s figure will be part of our upcoming negotiations with the European Tour,” he said.

He likes to stress what he describes as the media value of his company’s sponsorship. For instance, the combined value of supporting the Irish Derby and the Irish Open in 2019 was estimated at $250m. “That’s the reason we do these sort of things,” he said.

Meanwhile, the original deal with Tetrarch, owners of Mount Juliet, was to have been for two years, 2020 and 2021. With Covid restrictions causing last year’s event to be moved north to Galgorm Castle, however, it remains to be seen whether the original arrangement will now encompass 2022.

 

This is the seventh year of the current sponsorship which began early in 2015 when Rory McIlroy became host for the staging at Royal Co Down and continued in this role until 2018. After that, Paul McGinley took over at Lahinch.

The plan then was for Graeme McDowell to host two stagings at Mount Juliet. Covid’s intervention, however, has pushed this forward and it is now expected that McDowell will be host in 2022 and 2023. “That’s on the assumption things return to normal,” said McLoughlin.

As for future venues, there seems to be no great haste about a return to Portmarnock, notwithstanding the club’s recent vote to admit women members. “It could well be a place for consideration,” was McLoughlin’s view. “We shouldn’t necessarily be looking at a links course every year. And while it’s not cast in stone, I like the idea of playing in the Republic one year and the North the next. I see real appeal in a staging at Royal Portrush.”

For this weekend, however, the texture of the soil will mean little to this native of Ballinasloe. He’ll be watching today’s climax on television and hoping for a champion worthy of a splendid venue.