Irish Open set for new tee-off date

The Irish Open will be played just a week after next year’s US Open at Pinehurst with US-based Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell already guaranteed as the star attractions.

According to a reliable source, the event will swap dates with the BMW International Open in Munich and take place the week after the season’s second major, from June 19-22, rather than at the end of the month, its date for the last two editions.

We also understand the European Tour could be about to introduce a new rule for 2014, obliging players to tee it up in their ‘home open’ or play two events from a shortlist of selected tournaments to help boost fields.

In the case of the Irish Open, the venue has yet to be confirmed as the European Tour remains in wait-and-see mode in the event that a new title sponsor materialises at the last minute.

But two-time major winner McIlroy has told the European Tour that he has no problem with a move from the Montgomerie to the O’Meara Course at Carton House .

Brian Keogh