- Significant investment by Dromoland Castle together with support from the Irish Government facilitates the return of the Ladies European Tour to Ireland after a 10-year hiatus
Dromoland Castle is delighted to announce the return of the Women’s Irish Open, that will be staged on its prestigious 450-acre estate, 18-hole Championship Course, from 22nd to 25th September 2022. The return of the Ladies European Tour (“LET”) event is also being supported by the Irish Government and Clare County Council. This will be the first time women’s professional golf will be played in the Republic of Ireland since 2012.
Held 15 times between 1994 and 2012 the Championship has been won by some of Europe’s top golfers including Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson, England’s Laura Davies and most recently by the 2021 Solheim Cup winning Captain, Scotland’s Catriona Matthew. The 2022 Women’s Irish Open promises to be an unmissable event in the Irish sporting calendar.
Located on the shores of Lough Dromoland in Co. Clare, Dromoland Castle’s 18-hole 6,824 yards par 72 championship course was designed by Ron Kirby and JB Carr. An impressive world class parkland course it combines gentle hills, ancient trees and unexpected water hazards. The course and accompanying practice facilities currently undergoing a €2 million upgrade, will present a demanding and exhilarating test for the game’s top golfers.
Alexandra Armas, Chief Executive of the Ladies European Tour, said: “We are delighted to see the Women’s Irish Open return to the LET Schedule in 2022. It is our objective that all the players who want to come and play on the LET can make a living from golf. This means more tournaments, bigger prize funds as well as increased TV coverage. We are grateful to Dromoland Castle and the Irish Government for their support in enabling the Women’s Irish Open return to the LET in 2022 after a 10-year absence. 2022 is already a record breaking season for the LET in terms of the greatest number of tournaments and prize money in our 44-year history and will no doubt be further enhanced by what we expect to be a very popular stop for the Irish Open at the incredible Dromoland Castle.”
Mark Nolan, Managing Director at Dromoland Castle added: “We are absolutely thrilled that Dromoland Castle will play host to this year’s Women’s Irish Open. The return of women’s professional golf to Ireland is hugely important to the further development of women’s golf in Ireland. All of us at Dromoland Castle are delighted to be able to support women’s golf and look forward to extending our legendary hospitality and showcasing the estate’s world class facilities to Europe’s top golfers. At Dromoland, we are also continuously striving to improve our environmental practices and are delighted to confirm that our aim is to deliver the most green and sustainable tournament in Ireland.”
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin said, “My department is engaged in various sport schemes that advocate for the development of women’s sport. I am delighted, as part of that commitment, to be able to support the return of the Women’s Irish Open. Golf provides an important sporting opportunity for people right across Ireland whilst also making a significant contribution to tourism. Prior to Covid, more than 200,000 international visitors came to play each year. We are hoping to see an increased number of golfers returning to play in Ireland in 2022, as we hopefully emerge from the pandemic. The staging of world-class events are important for the development of high performance sport and as a valuable promotional tool. I am delighted to support Dromoland Castle’s commitment to Irish golf in committing to stage the Women’s Irish Open and know that their golf facilities and hospitality will showcase the very best of what Ireland has to offer.”
Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht, Jack Chambers said: “I am delighted with today’s announcement that this year’s Women’s Irish Open will be held at the magnificent Dromoland Castle. Ireland’s female golfers have enjoyed significant international success and it is fitting that women’s professional golf returns to Ireland as we look to grow participation in the game, nurture future talent and promote Ireland as a premier destination for golf tourism around the world. We know one of the positives of hosting major sporting events is the growth in participation at grassroots level that comes as a result of the coverage and exposure to elite level sport. I am confident that this event can help inspire a new generation of talented players and grow women’s golf all across the country.”
Golf Ireland CEO Mark Kennelly said: “The promotion of female participation is a key strategic goal for Golf Ireland. We are delighted that the Women’s Irish Open is returning this year and believe that the event at Dromoland Castle will be a fantastic showcase for women’s sport.”
Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling commented “We are delighted to be working with Dromoland Castle to enable the return of the Women’s Irish Open to Ireland and in particular, to Co. Clare this September. We look forward to hosting Europe’s top golfers, providing them and the spectators they will attract with Clare’s famous hospitality whilst showcasing the County as one of the best places to visit in Ireland.”
Further information regarding the Women’s Irish Open at Dromoland Castle will be provided on the Dromoland Castle and Ladies European Tour websites – https://dromolandcastle.ie/womens-irish-open/ and https://ladieseuropeantour.com/.
