Killarney: we’d like to keep Open in 2012

THE BATTLE for the 2011 Irish Open has yet to begin, but already potential venues are lining up for the 2012 renewal, including a Killarney bid for three-in-a-row.

Despite a high-powered campaign to bring the event to Northern Ireland for a first time since 1947, Killarney officials have confirmed they would like to host the Open again in 2012.

In an interview in tomorrow’s 32-page Irish Open magazine, free with this newspaper, Killarney secretary manager Maurice O’Meara confirms: “We proved ourselves last year and will do so again this year. The (European) Tour is pleased, the events around the tournament have been a success, infrastructure is all there and player reaction has been positive. So why go anywhere else in 2012?”