Rory agrees to play in Irish Open

IRISH OPEN organisers last night breathed a sigh of relief with confirmation that US Open champion Rory McIlroy will compete in the 2012 event.

Though McIlroy’s participation is assured, the host venue remains unknown, with European Tour chiefs still to make a formal announcement on whether or not they will return to the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club which has hosted the event for the past two years.

But McIlroy’s announcement will be a major boost to the European Tour in their search for a sponsor to replace telecommunications company 3, who ended their agreement in November 2010.