New sponsor faces big decision

MONEY rules — as thousands who understandably advocate the return of the Irish Open to Killarney for a third successive year may soon learn to their regret.

There was plenty of speculation over the weekend about the potential venue for the event in 2012 and beyond but ultimately that will be the call of any sponsor prepared to part with €2 million in prize money to augment a similar amount on offer from Fáilte Ireland.

The European Tour have had their fill of digging into their reserve fund to keep the tournament alive, just as they have done for several years past.

A senior member of their headquarters team told me as much during the week and while he was coy about international sponsor coming on board, he also commented that “nothing is assured until they sign on the dotted line.” Which in its own way indicates that they are probably very close to signing a deal.

The name of the Zurich Insurance Company has been much to the forefront having been revealed in the Irish Examiner several weeks ago by golf correspondent Simon Lewis and it still seems to be favourite to take up the baton so sensationally dropped by “3” after two years of a three-year deal.

The Tour set out to “sell” the tournament to would-be sponsors by putting on a first-class show at Killarney and did so incredibly well.

Any potential sponsor looking on must surely have been impressed as they watched some outstanding golf in a magnificent setting in front of a crowd not far short of 100,000 in attendance over the four days.

Killarney have indicated that they would like to go for the hat-trick. That being the case, any rational observer would have to say it’s a no-brainer. In normal circumstances, I would be entirely of that view.

But that would be to overlook the wishes of the sponsor. He who pays the piper calls the tune and the consensus last week had the event returning to the greater Dublin area in 2012. Even in these straitened times, there are venues prepared to pay to stage the event, as has happened several times in the past at commercial venues like Mount Juliet, Druids Glen, Fota Island and Carton House.

One understands the desire of a sponsor to site their event closer to the capital city where most big business is done. However, I find it difficult to understand a), why that should matter in this highly technological age, and b), why anyone would desert Killarney after the great success of 2010 and 2011.

AS a golf tournament, there was understandable disappointment at the failure of any of our four major champions to make any impression. Rory McIlroy’s tweeting spat with the American commentator Jay Townsend and Pádraig Harrington’s sacking of coach Bob Torrance ensured their names would remain in the headlines when their golf failed to reach the required standard.

You have to admire the way Rory jumped to the defence of JP Fitzgerald against the tirade of Townsend, an individual who seems to be waging a vendetta against the caddie.

Harrington’s dismissal of Torrance was on the cards as the pair had worked less and less in recent times.

None of our “big four” made any shape on the course itself and of the 28 Irish starter, Portstewart amateur Paul Cutler showed the most potential and indicated the steady flow of talent from his neighbourhood is set to continue. Already a certainty for next month’s British & Ireland Walker Cup team, he stayed with the pace throughout and looks a definite prospect for the future. This week, the focus is on the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, an event highlighted by the return after injury of Tiger Woods and for us in Ireland, that of Darren Clarke to big-time action in the US, accompanied by McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Harrington. For Pádraig, down another two spots in the world ranking to 66th, it’s a hugely important week with no cut and so a wonderful opportunity to regain some of the confidence lacking in his game for some time.