The Irish Open will boast three of the four current Major
Champions after Keegan Bradley, the reigning US PGA Championship winner and one
of a new breed of American stars, confirmed he will be heading for Royal
Portrush Golf Club.
The 25 year old has never played a professional tournament
in Europe, but has been lured by the magnificent links of Royal Portrush, where
he will compete among a stellar field which also includes current US Open
Champion Rory McIlroy and reigning Open Champion Darren Clarke.
The strength of the line-up for the €2million event, which
is being played in Northern Ireland for the first time since 1953 from June 28
to July 1, is growing week by week, with Graeme McDowell, the 2010 US Open
Champion, and three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington also confirmed.
With Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari also
playing, it means half of the victorious 2010 European Ryder Cup Team has
already confirmed they will be in attendance at the famous County Antrim venue.
Bradley, who has high hopes of facing Europe in September by
qualifying for the United States Ryder Cup Team, arrived under the spotlight of
global golf in 2011 when he won the US PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic
Club in dramatic fashion.
A triple bogey at the 15th left him five shots behind with
three holes to play, but birdies at the 16th and 17th gave him a share of the
lead after 72 holes, and he went on to defeat his compatriot Jason Dufner in a
three-hole play-off.
The former all-state ski racer and 2011 US PGA Tour Rookie
of the Year became only the third player to win on his Major Championship
debut, after Francis Ouimet in the 1913 US Open and Ben Curtis in The 132nd
Open Championship in 2003.
Bradley is following fellow young Americans Dustin Johnson
and Masters Champion Bubba Watson, who last summer played in Europe in the
build-up to The Open Championship, and he is relishing the experience.
“I’m very proud of my Irish heritage,” said Bradley, whose
roots are in County Cork, “and I’ve wanted to represent them in the Irish
national championship. Also, Graeme and Darren both have told me what a
fabulous layout Portrush is, so I’m doubly excited about the opportunity to
compete there.”
Northern Ireland’s Tourism Minister Arlene Foster said the
news has only heightened the excitement surrounding the upcoming tournament and
increased the appeal to the US audience.
She said: “There’s no doubt our local golf stars have been a
huge draw for all of those who will be heading to the Irish Open. To have a
reigning US PGA Championship winner, Keegan Bradley, taking part is a major
coup and delivers an even greater competitive edge to this tournament which is
rapidly becoming an unmissable golfing event.
"It proves that a small place like Northern Ireland can
produce top golfers and that we have what it takes to host tournaments which
attract some of the best players in the world.”
To watch these Major men up close, advance day tickets for
the Irish Open are available for £30, a saving of £5 on the gate price, with
four day season tickets priced at £70, a saving of £10. Advance concession day
and season tickets are priced at £20 and £50 respectively.
Hospitality packages are sold out for the first two days, but are still available on Saturday and Sunday. Pre-booked grandstand seats are still available on Thursday, June 28 at £10.
Hospitality packages are sold out for the first two days, but are still available on Saturday and Sunday. Pre-booked grandstand seats are still available on Thursday, June 28 at £10.
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