Rory McIlroy the star attraction as big hitters get set to take on Royal County Down

With a playing group that could be lifted straight from a major championship draw, Rory McIlroy will tee off at Royal County Down tomorrow with praise ringing in his ears for putting the Irish Open back on the golfing map.

The first round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open will see world No.1 McIlroy, whose Rory Foundation is hosting this European Tour stop, tee off with recent Players Championship winner Rickie Fowler and US Open champion Martin Kaymer at 8:20am tomorrow.

It is a stellar grouping in any field but for a tournament boasting a title sponsor this week for the first time since 2010, McIlroy’s superstar status in the sport and his strenuous efforts to help gather the most impressive field in years for his national open earned the gratitude of 2007 winner and fellow major champion Pádraig Harrington yesterday.

Irish Open crowds have been on the rise for some time as Harrington, McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell have collected major titles and drawn appreciative support from Portrush to Killarney to Fota Island.

This week is another near sell-out with more than 80,000 tickets sold for the four rounds but McIlroy’s efforts, Harrington said, have elevated the Irish Open to a new strata.

“I think Rory’s support this year has pushed it to a new level, and probably a new level on the world stage more so than the European stage. It’s really stepped up a gear,” said Harrington, who believes he is 100% certain to play this weekend after overcoming a shoulder injury.

“It’s very impressive. It’s where we want the Irish Open to be. It’s tough these days. It’s a very competitive market to be running the best event out there, and you know, we are right there this year with the Irish Open. It’s going to be one of the events at the end of the year that anybody who wins this will be putting it right there at the top of their CV.”

Reigning Open and US PGA champion McIlroy would be delighted to win for the first time as he strives to get back to winning ways that deserted him last week with a missed cut at Wentworth.

His Irish Open omens are not good, though having missed the cut for the last two years but Harrington believes the high expectations that accompany the Holywood golfer every year on home soil and particularly given his added involvement this time will not be an issue for McIlroy.

Best Shot Ever. #DDFIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/MZJPJYaocJ

— Amgen Irish Open (@IrishOpen_) May 20, 2015

“I don’t think it will be a problem for him. I think he’s got a good enough game that he can win against whatever difficulties are set up for him, in that sense.

“I think he’s good enough in his mindset that he’s quite happy to go out there and play, without having the ideal preparation. I for one would not be discounting him.”

Three-time major champion Harrington may not be 100% fit but he is back playing links golf and looking forward to a tough challenge. High winds and rain are forecast but he said of the Tour: “I would prefer they put it up to us, absolutely. I would rather see level par win this week than 18 under par. But you know, with a tough forecast, I would suggest that they’re more likely to go easy than not. So I don’t have control over that.

“The type of golf courses I win on are tough golf courses, so I like to see the tough venues.”