Irish Open golf 'priceless' for the region: Tourism NI

Tourism Northern Ireland has described the recent Amgen Irish Open in Co Down as 'incredibly successful'.

More than 71,000 fans descended on Newcastle during the five-day event, which was held this year at Royal County Down Golf Club.

Despite hopes that homegrown favourite Rory McIlroy would clinch his first professional win on home soil, it was Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard who holed out twice to pip the popular Holywood man to the win.

The tournament also supported a local charity, as fans who attended the event helped raise more than £200,000 for Make-A-Wish Ireland.

The event was delivered by the DP World Tour, with the support of a range of local partners, including Tourism NI, Royal County Down Golf Club, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, the emergency services and a host of Northern Ireland Government departments.

In addition, a team of 620 volunteers worked on the ground to ensure golfers, sponsors and spectators alike enjoyed Northern Ireland’s famous giant welcome across the event week.

Television coverage of the tournament had a potential broadcast reach of more than 500 million homes around the globe.

John McGrillen, CEO of Tourism NI, said the value of such exposure is “priceless” for the region.

“From every perspective, the Amgen Irish Open was an incredibly successful event for Northern Ireland,” he said.

“The large crowds who attended enjoyed a spellbinding tournament as some of the world’s top golfers took on the challenge of the world’s greatest links course in beautiful autumnal weather.

“The imagery it produced showcased the region as not just as a world-class golf destination but also a must see part of the island of Ireland. The television coverage, broadcasting into up to 400 million homes around the globe, was priceless.”

Mr McGrillen added: “The opportunity to stage such major events cannot be underestimated, not just from a tourism and economic perspective, but also for the immense pride that they create within everyone who calls this place their home.

“Our stunning scenery got a well-deserved chance to shine as did our famous warm welcome, as the turnout made for an unforgettable atmosphere at Royal County Down.”

Paul Gillmon, Championship Director of the Amgen Irish Open, said: “We always receive unbelievably warm welcome when we come to Northern Ireland.

“The fans and the people are exceptionally friendly and it is a wonderful place to operate.

“From a golfing perspective, it is a world-class golfing destination with two of the best golf courses in the world. The players loved playing at Royal County Down, which was a true test of golf and looked fantastic on television screens.

Barry Maye, Executive Director of the Ireland Golf Tour Operator Association (IGTOA), said the Amgen Irish Open had been a “spectacular” showcase for Northern Ireland.

“From talking to a number of tour operators, all of them had the same feedback. They had contact from some of their clients in the US, who were watching the event and they were salivating at the prospect of getting back to play at Royal County Down,” he said.

“The course was fantastic. On television it looked fantastic. In terms of promoting and showcasing Irish golf, it couldn’t have been better.”