Ireland’s Major heroes add spice to Irish Open

THREE major champions will be among the 27 home golfers taking part in the Irish Open Championship at Killarney from July 28 to 31.

Darren Clarke’s victory yesterday in the British Open at Sandwich ensures the marquee names that every tournament craves will be there in force around the Killeen course at the end of the month.

The presence of Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy, the US Open champions in 2010 and this year respectively was enough but Clarke’s popularity, plus that of Pádraig Harrington and Shane Lowry, adds spice to a field for one of the European Tour’s most prestigious events.