Picture-perfect Fota proving worthy investment

CLASS. Sheer class. That’s the only summation to describe the show that has been going on this week at the Fota Island Resort.

The organisers can hardly claim credit for the superb weather conditions — although in this regard, they undoubtedly deserved a break. Other than, though, the European Tour, the host venue and Fáilte Ireland are well entitled to take a bow.

Just about every detail imaginable has been attended to. The players, without exception, have been glowing in their praise of the course and in this respect, Fota superintendent Con O’Driscoll and his diligent team have done a remarkable job, balancing some generously wide fairways with a considerable degree of meaningful rough described by many as “juicy”.

Indeed Graeme McDowell added a new word to our golfing lexicon by saying “it was snaggier than we had expected” after Thursday’s round of 68.

Tens of thousands of spectators are impressed with the ease of access to and egress from Fota, with many happy to use the rail service from Cork city and motorists parking close to the action and whisked, if they so wish, to the course by minibus. The tented village, with its 20 or so exhibitors and range of eateries and bars, caters for every need. From what I have seen, the marshalling of the course has been discreet, courteous and effective, making things agreeable for players and fans alike.

Those fortunate enough to be able to frequent the clubhouse and its surrounds have been feeling almost like royalty, with the outside tables and chairs among the most prized possessions.

The weather has capped it all off. Fota Island looks well, whether the sun shines or not. For the past week, however, it has taken on all the semblance of a place you dearly want to visit and a course on which you would like nothing better than to test your golfing talents.

And at the end of the day, that’s why Fáilte Ireland have been gallantly keeping the national Open golf championship of this country alive when commercial Ireland has persistently turned a blind eye. Tony Lenehan, the tourist board’s director of golf, and Minister Leo Varadkar have seen the tournament’s possibilities and are backing it not only this year but right up to 2017, with the magnificent Royal Co Down links providing the home next year. A return to the south — very possibly, Fota Island — is agreed for the following year, before the lakeside Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh enjoys the privilege in 2017.

All the time, Ireland’s modern greats of the game commit themselves to the Irish Open from year to year without the slightest hesitation. As we have seen once again this week, Pádraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy, especially, and Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke and Shane Lowry are beloved of the Irish galleries and one of the chief reasons why so many are turning up to watch the action.

So far, so good, then. But there is an elephant in this particular room, and it is the ongoing failure for a title sponsor to turn up and support Fáilte Ireland and the other supporters, so that the prize fund can be raised beyond the current €2m. This week, Paul McGinley claimed that was a reasonable amount by European standards but it also pales against what is available in the US and that is where the likes of Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, McDowell and McIlroy will continue not only to play but to live until the situation over here changes significantly. No matter what anyone says, money does count for these guys.

All of which is a source of massive frustration for James Finnigan, the European Tour’s commercial director of the Irish Open. He simply cannot understand why none of those companies he met with and strongly argued his case failed to come on board as title sponsor. One suspects many are kicking themselves when they see the kind of show being put on at Fota and with which they could be so closely identified.

“In my opinion, Ireland Inc needs to get more behind its national Open,” Finnigan told the Irish Examiner. “We will speak to anyone prepared to invest even a portion of the prize fund while retaining the support of Fáilte Ireland. Then we would increase the prize money. Why is it not happening?

“It’s a question the leading national and international companies operating in Ireland need to ask themselves. We will not give it away. We know we have to invest in the tournament in the absence of commercial sponsors and that’s a risk we are prepared to take.”

Bearing in mind the throngs this week at Fota and the massive success of the event, it would appear that the future of the Irish Open is assured well into the future. But it would be wise to keep in mind that should the Tour turn its attentions to countries like, say, Germany and England, that don’t have a national Open of their own and leave the Irish to cope for themselves, that could well herald the demise of our biggest international sporting event.

And that, surely, would be an own goal of massive proportions.