Carlow Golf Club professional Damien McGrane says that the Irish Open struggles to locate a perfect date with the British Open so soon afterwards.
Speaking to KCLR, the Meath native says that playing in Ireland’s most prestigious golf tournament is not a priority among the top golfers.
“The Irish Open has always struggled to get the perfect date to fit in with a links run up to a major”, says McGrane.
“So with so much hype and excitement and interviews, those weeks are a big pull on the players resources.”
“The players generally want to keep as much energy in the tank as possible, and as a result an Irish Open two weeks before an Open is a difficult fit for most players so the date has tended to struggle.”
Lahinch is the host venue for this year’s Irish Open, the dates running 4-7 July.
Meanwhile, the 148th Open takes place at Royal Portrush from 14-21 July.
