GOLF EUROPEAN TOUR NEWS ROUND-UP:THE FUTURE of the Irish Open on the calendar is far from assured after the European Tour issued a quasi "come and get me" invitation to potential sponsors.
The tournament has been staged at Adare Manor for the past two years - Pádraig Harrington won there in 2007 - but owner Tom Kane is no longer willing to underwrite the tournament.
Fáilte Ireland did pay €384,000 to subsidise the Irish Open, but that left Kane looking to bridge financially a €2.9 million shortfall over the two years in staging the event.
"I have done my bit and it's now time for other people to come to the party," Kane explained.
The details of the 2009 European Tour schedule, otherwise now known as the lucrative Race to Dubai, were announced yesterday (see panel), and although the Irish Open retains its traditional May berth, an inability to confirm a venue doesn't bode well.
George O'Grady, the chief executive of the European Tour, addressed the issue of the Irish Open at the launch of the Race for Dubai in Scotland.
He explained: "We have been at Adare Manor for several years but, as you will see from the schedule we have announced, we currently have TBA against the Irish Open.
"We might be back at Adare, but we have freed it up with Mr and Mrs Kane, who own Adare Manor, that if we can get sponsorship and support in other parts of Ireland, we are free to do so. However, if we get additional sponsorship, we can return to Adare - it is a joint decision."
The rights to the Irish Open are owned by the European Tour to whom they reverted after Murphy's sponsorship of the event. When Nissan took over they did so as title sponsor, but the European Tour retained ownership and continued to do so when the Irish Open was staged at Adare Manor.
Kane had originally agreed a three-year deal to stage the tournament, but the European Tour has released him from that obligation.
There is still scope for Adare to stage next year's tournament if a new sponsorship package can be negotiated, but this seems a difficult undertaking in the economic climate.
Ballyliffin and Royal Portrush have canvassed the governments north and south of the Border to support them financially in staging the Irish Open on a rotational basis. Ballyliffin general manager John Farren previously confirmed: "The idea is definitely a goer. It's just a question of that old chestnut - the pounds, shillings and pence.
"Both of us have approached both Governments and tourism authorities with regard to a proposal we have made to the European Tour. I have to say that we've been told we are pressing all the right buttons. The response has been very, very positive."
The European Tour will be keen to expedite a decision on the future of the Irish Open as the tournament is one of nine on next season's schedule with no venue confirmed at this time.
One glimmer of hope for any potential sponsor is that the Irish event will no longer clash with The Players Championship on the US Tour, so it would be potentially easier to attract one or two high-profile names.
The inaugural Race to Dubai begins with the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai on November 6th, and then conducts a whistle stop worldwide tour, stopping off at 26 destinations, before the elite battle it out for a €14.5 million prize fund at the Dubai World Championship in Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 19th-22nd, 2009.
The top 60 in the Race to Dubai will qualify for the event, which has a prize fund of €7.3 million and a first prize of €1.1 million. A bonus pool of €7.3 million will also be shared by the top 15 players in the Race to Dubai, with the race winner taking away another €1.5 million.
The 38th European Tour schedule will take in a record 53 tournaments. From 2010, the tour will revert to a calendar-year programme, starting with the South African Open at Pearl Valley in January and concluding with the Dubai World Championship in November.
