AFTER two, highly successful stagings at St Margaret's, the Guardian Irish Open moves across Dublin to Citywest, where Laura Davies will be attempting to complete a hat-trick of titles, starting on Thursday. In a strong, international field, the home challenge for an increased prize fund of £110,000 will be spearheaded by Aideen Rogers and Maureen Madill.
Apart from financial considerations, players will be acutely aware of the double points on offer for inclusion. in the Solheim Cup team for the biennial clash with the US at St Pierre, Wales, in September. The standings are currently led by Marie Laure de Lorenzi, ahead of Laura Davies, Lisa Hackney, Lora Fairclough and Annika Sorenstam.
Despite relinquishing her world number one position to Annika Sorenstam last month, Davies remains very much a player on form and is the current leader of the Order of Merit in Europe. She has already won f9ur tournaments this year, including her fourth Major, the McDonald's LPGA Championship at DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware.
Her most recent success in Europe was the Evian Masters at Royal Evian in France last month. But she is certain to face formidable opposition in the quest of a top prize of £16,500. A measure of the strength of the event is that the 33rd finisher will receive a cheque for a four-figure sum.
Former European number one, Corinne Dibnah of Australia is also in the field, having captured the Malaysian and Thailand Open titles this season. Hackney, winner of the first event of the season, the Women's Welsh Open at St Pierre, is another challenger, along with Sweden's Sophie Gustafson, who achieved her tournament breakthrough in the Swiss Open near Geneva last month.
This has also been a breakthrough season for Martina Koch, who captured the Austrian Open in Himberg on June 30th. She, too, is an Irish Open challenger. In fact, 37 of the top 40 players in the Order of Merit will be at Citywest. Six amateurs have also been invited to compete.
A feature of the tournament will be the range of facilities available to the players. Ford, who sponsor the pre-championship pro-am, are operating a courtesy-car service. Then there is the players' lounge in which complimentary refreshments will be served.
There is also a hairdressing service, a physiotherapist and on-site leisure facilities, including a gym and sauna. And experienced golfers will be available free of charge to act as cad dies or simple bag-pullers.
Irish spectators have already enjoyed seeing some of the best women golfers in the world in this event and with our partners Bord Failte, it is our intention to enhance that pleasure this year, if possible," says Gerard Healy, the chairman of Guardian Insurance.
The importance of the tournament to the Irish economy was highlighted by Enda Kenny, the Minister for Tourism and Trade, who says: "Real gains have been made in the main Bord Failte golf markets and I'm sure we can build on those figures."
Meanwhile, the move to Citywest is a source of particular gratification to the course designer, Christy O'Connor Jnr. It couldn't be in a better site, nestling under the Dublin mountains," he says. "Yet it offers excellent access to the city and main arterial routes out of the city. I'm particularly pleased with the quality of the clubhouse which provides an impressive backdrop to the course.
