Touring professional at The K Club, Séamus Power, pictured at the Co Kildare venue. Photo: Sportsfile
Touring professional at The K Club, Séamus Power, pictured at the Co Kildare venue. Photo: Sportsfile
The K Club will host the Horizon Irish Open in 2023, 2025 and 2027 with the Co Kildare venue to host the Irish Challenge in 2022, 2024 and 2026.
The 2006 Ryder Cup venue, which also hosted the European Open for 16 years, last hosted the Irish Open in 2016, when Rory McIlroy finished birdie-par-eagle to beat Russell Knox by three shots and claim his national open for the first time.
The Palmer North Course will host the Irish Open in alternate years from next year with the third edition set to co-incide with Ireland’s second hosting of the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027.
The resort's second Arnold Palmer-designed course, Palmer South, will also play host to the Challenge Tour's Irish Challenge in the intervening years, beginning this July and again in 2024 and 2026.
The announcement continues the momentum surrounding the Horizon Irish Open, with Horizon Therapeutics - the global biotechnology company headquartered in Dublin — having signed a six-year title sponsorship deal in February, beginning with this year's event at Mount Juliet Estate from June 30-July 3.
Guy Kinnings, the DP World Tour's Deputy CEO, Ryder Cup Director and Chief Commercial Officer, said: "We share a special connection with The K Club through their hosting of the 2006 Ryder Cup, and we thank them for their commitment to the development of Irish golf through this long-term deal with both the D World Tour and Challenge Tour.
"This news, along with the announcement earlier in the year of Horizon as title sponsors of the Irish Open until at least 2027, underlines the strength of our sport in Ireland, as we build towards the return of the Ryder Cup to Irish shores for its centenary edition in five years' time at Adare Manor.”
The K Cub’s touring professional, Seamus Power said: “This is amazing, The Irish Open for me growing up is memorable and to have it as the venue is going to be very special for Irish golf."
This year’s Horizon Irish Open at Mount Juliet will have a prize fund of $6 million (€5.05 million) - a major increase on 2020 when the purse at Mount Juliet was €3.42m.