McGinley rules out 2020 Irish hosting

Paul McGinley has ruled himself out of the running to host the 2020 Irish Open at Mount Juliet Estate & Golf Club. Europe’s 2014 Ryder Cup-winning captain was the host for the event at Lahinch in July and he did a fantastic job that week, donating 75,000 euros raised by the McGinley Foundation to the local National School, Soil Mhuire and the North West Clare Family Resource Centre. Rory McIlroy had been host for the four years previous, helping raise the profile of the tournament, and organisers are hoping to keep that feel-good factor going with another special spectacle in 2020. However, McGinley has confirmed he will not be hosting next May’s Rolex Series event although he would be tempted to return to the role if Lahinch is selected again. “I won’t be [hosting] in the immediate future anyway,” he told Clare FM. “In four or five years’ time, if Lahinch consider that they want to do it again, I would obviously consider it. “I won’t rule it out but it certainly won’t be for four or five years. We are on a roll at the moment in terms of hosts, with Rory, Darren Clarke, myself, Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell. “They haven’t announced one for 2020 yet but it won’t be me. It won’t happen until the end of that rota of five players.” It is claimed Graeme McDowell is the leading candidate to step up and host the 2020 Irish Open.