Dubai Duty Free’s successful sponsorship can make Irish Open a marquee draw on European Tour

Dubai Duty Free chief Colm McLoughlin believes there are good times ahead for the Irish Open, writes Brendan O’Brien.

Colm McLoughlin, like everyone else who played golf in Dubai for three decades and more, was accustomed to carrying around a patch of astroturf on his rounds after he made the move from Shannon.

The strip of fake grass was required when addressing a shot on loosely designated fairway and a large yard brush adorned every green. That and a sign that declared: ‘please brush the browns’. It is an image with which many an ex-pat around the world down the years could relate to.