Dubai Duty Free Irish Open begins in style as crowds return to Irish sporting events
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Dubai Duty Free Irish Open begins in style as crowds return to Irish sporting events IRELAND/UAE. The 2021 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open got off to a spectacular start on Wednesday in Mount Juliet, County Kilkenny, as many Irish sports starts and celebrities attended the Pro-Am competition. The Moodie Davitt Report also took part; you can read President Dermot Davitt’s Blog from the day here. A total of 38 teams played, led by star golfing names such as Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Tommy Fleetwood. Some well-known names in Irish sport played 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 did Coronas lead singer Danny O’Reilly. Anyone for tee? Top Irish pro and Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington (left) leads his team of Dick Spring, Padraig McManus and Dessie Farrell into action at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open (Photo: Golffile / Fran Caffre
Dubai Duty Free Golf Ambassador Des Smyth (left) and his team of Philip Quinn, Greg Allen and Eddie Coffey (Photo: Golffile / Fran Caffrey) The €3 million Dubai Duty Free Irish Open takes place from Thursday 1 July to Sunday 4 July, and is one of the first 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 airport retailer – the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby went to post at the Curragh Racecourse in Kildare on Saturday. Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Colm McLoughlin said: “This year we celebrate our seventh 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.”
Irish pro Niall Kearney (left) leads the Dubai Duty Free team of (left to right) Damien Fox, Conor Bartley and Dermot Davitt (Photo: Golffile / Fran Caffrey) Senior Vice President Marketing Sinead El Sibai is representing the title sponsor at Mount Juliet. She 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.” Dubai Duty Free had six teams in the Pro-Am event, led by professionals Des Smyth, Padraig Harrington, Søren Kjeldsen, Niall Kearney, Pablo Larrazabal and Paul Dunne. 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.” The Pro Am winning team was led by Tommy Fleetwood who played with Robert Frame, Gary Morrison and Michael Murphy, on a score of -32. The longest drive for ladies was won by Sharon Smurfit playing on a Dubai Duty Free team, while Valerie Reddan, also playing on a Dubai Duty Free team, won the nearest the pin prize for ladies. The longest drive for men was won by Jack Pierse while Niall Collins had the men’s nearest the pin.
Some images of a memorable day at Mount Juliet; more in The Moodie Blog
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