Future of Irish Open is secured for at least two years

PORTMARNOCK Golf Club, Nissan Ireland, Bord Fáilte and the European Tour came together in Dublin yesterday to triumphantly announce that the future of the Irish Open is secure for at least the next two years.

Gerard O’Toole, the chief executive of Nissan Ireland, revealed that his company has become the title sponsor for 2003 and 2004 and that they could be involved for as long as 10 years.

The championship returns to Portmarnock for the first time since 1990 and will boast a prize fund of 2m when it takes place on its new date of July 24-27, the week immediately after the British Open at Royal St Georges, Sandwich.