As a rather special highlight to their centenary celebrations, Castlerock will stage this year's Smurfit Irish Professional Championship on October 11th to 14th. There have been three previous stagings of the event on this historic links, where the great Michael "Dyke" Moran won the fourth of five successive titles in 1912.

When the Championship was last in Northern Ireland in 1995, Philip Walton edged out Paul McGinley for the title in a dramatic climax at Belvoir Park. As it happens, McGinley will be defending the title at the Co Derry venue on this occasion.

Castlerock, which measures 6,713 yards for a par of 73, has staged the British Universities Championship in 1999 when Graeme McDowell, from the Rathmore club nearby, triumphed. And it played host to the eighth World Student Games last year.

This is the 12th year of Smurfit sponsorship and a prize fund of almost £110,000 makes it the most valuable national closed championship in Europe. A pre-qualifying round will be held at Seapoint GC, with a prize fund of £3,000.