Tour chief: Killarney could host Irish Open

THE European Tour has confirmed it is keen for Killarney to host the Irish Open again next year.

Chief Executive George O’Grady said as much yesterday when he unveiled a 2011 schedule featuring a minimum of 50 tournaments in 29 different destinations with the Irish Open pencilled in for July 28-31st.

Keeping his fingers crossed that Fáilte Ireland will be in a position to inject funds into the event, O’Grady said: “We are all well aware that (former sponsors) 3 have declined to go ahead with the third year of their agreement and that the Government and the Tourism Minister (Mary Hanafin) is still very committed to the tournament.