The European Tour is set to confirm shortly the 2012 Irish Open will be returning the Dublin.

For the past two years the event has been staged at the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club in the south-east of the country.

But in announcing last Sunday the Race to Dubai will be end in Dubai for the next three years, and with a $US 8m prize purse, European Tour CEO, George O’Grady indicated ‘an exciting new package’ was being put together to bring Ireland’s premier event back to Dubin.
 
O’Grady, who would not name the course to host the 2012 Irish Open, indicated the Tour would make an announcement before Christmas for the event being held June 28th to July 1st, 2012.
 
The Tour canvassed all the Irish players competing last week in Dubai on their preference including Graeme McDowell who finished mid-field in this year’s event at Killarney.
 
“The Tour spoke to the Irish players and I stand in a position where I want the Irish Open to be the best event it can possibly be,” said McDowell.
 
“Myself, I’m a fan of the Dublin area and it promotes the best attendance, excitement and buzz.
 
“Some of the courses around the Dublin area would be suitable for me, and while I’d love to see it going north of the border every now and again, first and foremost we need to re-establish the Irish Open on the map and all the Irish players are fully behind that.
 
“I enjoyed Killarney as a venue. The crowds were quite good but I didn’t enjoy it as a golf course. It wasn’t my favourite but it was a fun venue but I’d love to see it go back to the Dublin area.”

It is believed this news has taken Killarney Golf and Fishing Club officials by surprise but the move back to Dublin is sure to boost interest in the event and certain to guarantee record crowds no matter what course is chosen to host Ireland’s premier event.

The last time the Irish Open was held in the Dublin region was in 2006 when Dane Thomas Bjorn won the rain affected event at Carton House,

A year earlier, New Zealand’s Michael Campbell won on the famed Portmarnock course and in the week after Bjorn had blown the chance of victory in the British Open.