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The European Tour has this afternoon announced the postponement of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open due to the continuing threat posed by the spread of Coronavirus.
The tournament was scheduled to be the European Tour’s second Rolex Series event of 2020, taking place at Mount Juliet Estate from May 28-31, with former US Open champion Graeme McDowell as host.
It becomes the 12th European Tour – 13 if you count the Olympics – to be either postponed or cancelled as a result of the pandemic. The earliest the tour can now resume is June 4, when the opening round of the Trophée Hassan II is scheduled to take place at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Morocco.
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European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “The decision to postpone the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open follows consultation with all stakeholders and was made with public health and well-being as our absolute priority.
“Our thoughts are with everyone right now and we are all united in trying to fight the spread of the pandemic.”
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“With this in mind, we will continue to evaluate all aspects of our 2020 European Tour schedule, and discussions on the rescheduling of postponed events will remain ongoing until we have clarity on the global situation.”
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Colm McLoughlin, the executive vice-chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, said: “We fully support the European Tour in their decision to postpone the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
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“The most important thing right now is the health and safety of all the players, the spectators, the sponsors and organisers, so it’s the right decision.”
McDowell, the tournament host, said: “As important as the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open is to all of us, everyone’s health is our only concern. My thoughts are with everyone affected by the crisis and I hope everyone keeps safe and well during these difficult times.”
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