The 2021 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open got off to a spectacular start today (Wednesday, 30th of June) as stars of the celebrity and sporting world competed in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Pro Am competition.
A total of 38 teams played the stunning Mount Juliet Estate golf course in Kilkenny, (Ireland) and enjoyed all the action on the greens alongside star names such as Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Tommy Fleetwood to mention but a few.
The €3 million Dubai Duty Free Irish Open takes place from Thursday 1 to Sunday, July 4 and is one of the first chosen pilot initiatives for extended capacity at outdoor sporting events chosen by the Irish government. The first high profile sporting event to take place in Ireland was also sponsored by the world famous airport retailer as the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby went to post at the Curragh Racecourse in Kildare last Saturday (26th of June).
Speaking from Dubai Colm McLoughlin Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free said, “This year we celebrate our 7th year as title sponsor of Ireland’s national golf tournament. In 2020 the tournament took place behind closed doors but this year it is wonderful to have a limited number of spectators permitted on the course. In these difficult times the return of fans to sporting events signals the return of some degree of normality and gives us all a lift and a great sense of optimism for the future.”
Dubai Duty Free had 6 teams in the pro am which were led by professionals, Des Smyth, Padraig Harrington, Søren Kjeldsen, Niall Kearney, Pablo Larrazabal and Paul Dunne. Des Smyth, who is the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Golf Ambassador said, “The course is in magnificent condition, the greens are running very fast and depending on the wind we are expecting low scoring this week.”
Sinead El Sibai Senior Vice President of Dubai Duty Free represented the title sponsor at Mount Juliet and said, “We are very pleased to be here, it’s great to see spectators enjoying live sport again and we are very much looking forward to the week ahead.”
The Pro Am winning team was a BMW team led by Tommy Fleetwood who played with Robert Frame, Gary Morrison and Michael Murphy. They brought in a score of -32. The longest drive for ladies was won by Sharon Smurfit playing on a Dubai Duty Free, Valerie Reddan, also playing on a Dubai Duty Free Team had nearest the pin for ladies. The longest drive for men was won by Jack Pierse while Niall Collins had the men’s nearest the pin.
Some well known names in sport were on the course to play in the curtain-raiser event, including rugby star Johnny Sexton, hurling legends DJ Carey and Henry Shefflin and Wexford Senior Hurling Manager, Davy Fitzgerald. Former Tanaiste Dick Spring also played as well as Coronas lead singer, Danny O’Reilly.
Attention now turns to the main attraction of the week as the 2021 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open tees off early tomorrow morning (Thursday 1st July).
The first tee times are at 7.30 am (Irish time) on Thursday in a two tee start with the last tee times at 2.30 pm (Irish time) off both the first and tenth tees.
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open runs from Thursday, July 1 and runs until Sunday, July 4 at the Mount Juliet Estate, Kilkenny, Ireland.
