The Irish Challenge has become one of the premier events on the DP World Tour’s official feeder tour, and it’s heading to one of the island’s most historic venues in 2025 with Killeen Castle set to play host.
Located in County Meath, and designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus, the Irish Challenge, running from August 7-10, 2025, will become the latest in a series of prestigious events to be hosted at Killeen Castle which also welcomed the 2011 Solheim Cup, where Europe triumphed over the United States 15-13, along with multiple Ladies Irish Opens and numerous PGA events down through the years.
Killeen Castle will host the Irish Challenge in both 2025 and 2027, and the partnership with the Challenge Tour further cements its reputation as one of Ireland’s leading golf destinations and as a premier venue for major golf championships.
The Championship Course is overlooked by the 800-year-old Killeen Castle which underwent a rebirth in 2008 when it opened as a luxury golf resort. The visit to Killeen Castle is part of the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca International Schedule. The top 20 players on the Road to Mallorca Rankings at the conclusion of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final will earn DP World Tour playing privileges for the 2026 season.
In memory of one of Irish golf’s most beloved and sadly missed figures, the highest-placed Irish player at the end of the week will again be awarded the Christy O’Connor Jr Memorial Trophy and receive an invitation to the Amgen Irish Open.
The last player from the island of Ireland to graduate from the Challenge Tour was Tom McKibbin who finished 20th on the 2022 Rankings and was crowned the Chrity O’Connor Jr Memorial Trophy winner the same year.
Conor Purcell is well placed to follow McKibbin onto the premier European circuit for the 2025 season, but strong Irish representation is always guaranteed at the Irish Challenge.
“We are delighted to be taking the Irish Challenge to the wonderful Killeen Castle in 2025,” said Challenge Tour Director, Jamie Hodges. “The historic venue offers one of the finest parkland golfing experiences in Ireland, and our members will relish the opportunity to compete on the Championship Course. The rebirth of the Irish Challenge has been ongoing since 2015, and we are delighted to provide the next generation of golfing talent in Ireland with opportunities to play on the Challenge Tour.
“We give special thanks to everyone at Killeen Castle for all their help and hospitality. Through our collective partnership and teamwork, our members will be treated to a first-class tournament and an event that will be eagerly anticipated on the Road to Mallorca schedule.”
Cormac Ryan, Director of Golf & Hospitality Operations at Killeen Castle, is equally delighted with the partnership.
“We are thrilled to host the 2025 Irish Challenge, which highlights the exceptional quality of our Championship Course,” he said. “Our team is very proud of the high standards we maintain across the resort, and we look forward to welcoming the world’s top emerging golf talent to compete on one of Ireland’s finest parkland courses.”
Killeen Castle General Manager, Philip Rock, feels that it’s an ideal scenario in which to show off the additional luxury accommodation that the resort added to its portfolio in 2023.
“This event not only reinforces our status as a premier golf destination but also showcases the growth and development of our estate,” he said. “Our luxurious lodge style guest accommodation in Hunters Yard offers players and guests a comfortable and stylish retreat, further enhancing their experience at Killeen Castle.”
It’s not just Killeen Castle and the Challenge Tour who will reap the benefits of this partnership, however, and with the weekly Challenge Tour highlights show broadcast into 260 million homes across 80 countries, another of Ireland’s top courses will receive global attention.
“Hosting the 2025 Irish Challenge is hugely important for Irish tourism because it gives us the opportunity to showcase everything that is special about a golfing holiday on the island,” said Martin Donnelly, Business Development Manager with Fáilte Ireland. “Ireland is world-renowned for its world class golf holiday experience and the fact we welcome over 220,000 golf tourists each year is testament to this. Killeen Castle Golf Course is one of the Island’s finest parkland courses and the Fáilte Ireland team is looking forward to working with the team in this historic venue and the Challenge Tour team, to make next year’s Irish Challenge a superb event for everyone involved.”