All-star field set for action in €420,000 Irish Seniors Open
Irish favourites Eamonn Darcy and Christy O'Connor Jnr, leading Spaniard José Rivero and former European Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance of Scotland all confirmed their participation in the €420,000 event, at the Sheraton Fota Island Golf Resort & Spa, Cork, from June 2-4.
Torrance, who was fourth in the event last year on his way to winning the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit, said: "Two of my proudest moments outside the Ryder Cup came at Portmarnock in 1991 and Mount Juliet in 1995 when I won my two Irish Opens, and I would love to win again in Ireland as a senior."
The 2006 AIB Irish Seniors Open, in association with Greenstar and Fáilte Ireland, is one of the biggest events on this year's European Seniors Tour and a key component of an incredible summer of golf in Ireland, culminating in the staging of the 36th Ryder Cup at The K Club in September.
The connection between the two tournaments is further strengthened by the number of former Ryder Cup players that will be on show at Fota Island in June. Alongside Darcy, O'Connor, Rivero and Torrance, others already confirmed include Maurice
Bembridge and Gordon J Brand, both of England, Scotland's Bernard
Gallacher, Spaniard Antonio Garrido, Tommy Horton of England, Manuel Piáero of Spain and Northern Ireland's Eddie Polland.
Local interest will be provided by the inclusion of Cork professional Denis O'Sullivan, who would dearly love to make the Irish Seniors title his seventh European Seniors Tour victory.
It will be the first time that the European Seniors Tour has visited Cork and the eighth venue for the tournament, which was first played at St Margaret's near Dublin in 1997 when the prize fund was €105,000 exactly a quarter of what this year's field will be playing for and an example of the impressive growth enjoyed by the Seniors Tour.
Set in a 780-acre estate close to Cork city, Fota Island is a challenging, par 71 championship course, weaving its way through woodlands and featuring pot bunkers and undulating putting surfaces.
Designed in 1993 by O'Connor Jnr and former Walker Cup Captain Peter McEvoy, Fota Island staged the Irish Club Professionals' Championship, the Irish Amateur Open and three Irish PGA Championships.
The course was redesigned by Jeff Howes Golf Design in 1998 and went on to stage two successive Irish Opens on the European Tour in 2001 and 2002, won by Colin Montgomerie and Sáren Hansen of Denmark respectively. Montgomerie set the course record of 63 on his way to victory in 2001.
The resort is now under the ownership of The Fleming Group, which is currently building a 125-bedroom hotel and spa on the site (under the Sheraton name) that will be available in time for the arrival of the seniors in June, when Australia's Noel Ratcliffe will defend the title he won at The Heritage at Killenard in 2005.
Advance tickets are now on sale priced at €10 daily or €20 for a three-day season ticket if purchased before May 19. Otherwise daily tickets can be purchased at the gate for €15 or €30 for a season ticket. Children will be admitted free of charge if accompanied by an adult and car parking is €5. AIB bankcard holders will receive a discount of €5 on the daily ticket price.
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