Double Major champion Rory McIlroy toasted Fota Island Resort’s success in landing the 2014 Irish Open as the Cork parkland course celebrated its return to the world golf stage for the first time in 12 years.

The new owners of Fota Island Resort are planning on investing millions of euro developing the grounds of the hotel, adding a destination restaurant, and bringing an international golf tournament back to Cork.

Bidders for the jewel in Cork’s €20m tourism crown came from India, Taiwan, the US, Europe, China, and Cork — with a Chinese family, the Kangs, yesterday coming up trumps.

FOTA ISLAND’S acclaimed Golfand Spa resort will be put on the open market by the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) “within weeks”.

GOLF directors at Cork’s Fota Island Resort insist it is business as usual despite the appointment of a receiver at the prestigious facility last week.