News
Tuesday 2nd December 2008
AIB Ladies Irish Open, supported by Failte Ireland
stays with winning formula - "World Class Players on a Championship Links Venue with increased prize money for 2009".
Big-time Ladies professional golf will return to North Dublin next year with the formal announcement today that the staging of the AIB Ladies Irish Open, supported by Fáilte Ireland, will again be held at the magnificent Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links from Friday June 26th until Sunday 28th 2009. Speaking at the announcement, the Director of Golf at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links Moira Cassidy commented, "we are proud that our course served up such a good test in last year's Championship and we can guarantee a top-class links challenge again in June."
Next year's Championship will see an increase in Prize Money to €500,000, positioning it as one of the leading events on the LET circuit.
Last year, hot favourite Suzann Pettersen took the title in impressive style and has been invited back to defend.
The natural 'links' venue was widely praised by all the top players Pettersen, Morgan Pressel and Maria Hjorth and the top twenty LET players from the European Ladies Tour that competed.
Team Ireland will be well represented in 2009, with a minimum of 4 Irish professionals plus leading amateurs players to be invited, based on merit.
Some of the hottest players in the world are on the shortlist of tournament organiser Roddy Carr over the next two years, amongst them Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis and Michelle Wie. Speaking today, Carr admitted: "The strategy of attracting some of the biggest names in the sport to a world class venue worked very well in year one. We will continue with this approach and are looking forward to announcing some big names early in the New Year for the 2009 event.
It is a sign of the growing interest in women's golf in Ireland that, despite the current economic difficulties, there will continue to be considerable investment and commitment by sponsors in the years ahead. AIB and Fáilte Ireland are both committed to the Ladies Irish Open until 2012 and to the The 2011 Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle.
