Mount Juliet to host 2020 Irish Open

Mount Juliet has been confirmed as the host course for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open between May 28 and May 31, 2020. The Co Kilkenny course previously hosted national open between 1993 and 1995, but 2020 will mark the 25th anniversary since it was last held there when Sam Torrance was the victor. It also sees the Irish Open switch back to a parkland course having been set on a links layout in 2019 when Jon Rahm triumphed at Lahinch Golf Club in County Clare in July. The European Tour event has also moved to an earlier date on the calendar in 2020 with Colm McLoughlin, CEO of tournament organisers Dubai Duty Free, delighted at the choice of venue. “We are pleased with the growth of the tournament since Dubai Duty Free became involved in 2015 and the fact that it is now part of the Rolex Series with a prize fund of US$7 million,” he said in a statement. “We also agree with the strategy, which both the European Tour and the previous hosts, Rory McIlroy and Paul McGinley have employed of moving the tournament around the island of Ireland to include north and south, links and parkland and this has been very successful. “Mount Juliet Estate itself is a fantastic venue and is well known as an excellent ‘spectator course’ as it offers fans a second to none viewing experience.”