DID YOU KNOW? – DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH OPEN HOSTED BY THE RORY FOUNDATION
• Royal County Down is hosting the Irish Open for the first time since 1939 when Arthur Lees claimed the crown. The others were 1928 and 1935, both won by Ernest Whitcombe.
• Should Mikko Ilonen make a successful defence of the crown he won at Fota Island in 2014, he would become the first player to achieve this feat since Colin Montgomerie in 1996-97.
• Shane Lowry’s victory as an amateur in the Irish Open in 2009 came on his European Tour debut. He was the first player to achieve this feat since Ben Curtis at The Open Championship in 2003.
• Shane Lowry became the third amateur to win in European Tour history, following Pablo Martin Benavides (2003 Open de Portugal) and Danny Lee (2009 Johnnie Walker Classic).
• The Irish Open has a rich history of winners, dating back to 1927, the year it was first played. In all, 14 Major Champions have triumphed in the event. They are: George Duncan (1927), Alf Padgham (1932), Reg Whitcombe (1936), Bobby Locke (1938), Fred Daly (1946), Ben Crenshaw (1976), Hubert Green (1977), Seve Ballesteros (1983, 85, 86), Bernhard Langer (1984, 87, 94), Ian Woosnam (1988, 89), José Maria Olazábal (1990), Sir Nick Faldo (1991-93), Michael Campbell (2003) and Padraig Harrington (2007).
• With Shane Lowry’s extra-time victory over Robert Rock in 2009, the Irish Open extended the record for most European Tour play-offs – a total of 11 since The European Tour’s first season in 1972.
• When winning the 1992 and 1993 Irish Open, Sir Nick Faldo created European Tour history by becoming the only player to win the same event in consecutive years, via consecutive play-offs. In 1992 he beat Wayne Westner and 12 months later defeated José Maria Olazábal.
• Thomas Bjørn’s 78 in the first round of the 2006 Irish Open matched the highest first round score by a winner in European Tour history. This was first established by George Burns at another Irish tournament, the 1975 Kerrygold International.
• Royal County Down has a rich history of hosting major events. From the 2007 Walker Cup, Great Britain & Ireland have four players who played are competing in this week’s Irish Open. They are: David Horsey, Rory McIlroy, John Parry and Danny Willett. From the American team, Rickie Fowler and Jonathan Moore are taking part. Peter Lawrie won the 1996 Irish Amateur Close Championship here and Graeme Storm the 1999 Amateur Championship.
