It seems like a lifetime ago that the Ladies Irish Open was revived in 2008 as part of the bid for the hugely successful 2011 Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle. The event ran for five years as a condition of that bid and was then ‘parked’ in 2012 for 10 years due to lack of funding. It was always the philosophy with this event that if we couldn’t put on a world class event, then better not to do it.
KPMG came forward in 2022 in partnership with Sport Ireland, Dromoland Castle and ForeFront Sports, owned by my nephew Cian Branagan, to fund and build a sustainable world class event that will now live on and grow stronger year by year. The event is now arguably the most popular regular LET event after the Majors and the support of Leona Maguire in rebuilding the event has been a key factor of its success. Leona will have stiff opposition this year with her former Solheim Cup teammate and AIG Women’s Open Champion Georgia Hall in the field.
The move by Government and Killeen Castle to continue to support the Solheim Cup during that period of deep recession has proven to be inspirational for many young girls whose parents took them to these events before their teens.
Lauren Walsh was one of those young girls who at 10 years of age got her picture taken with Lexi Thomson who was 16 then at Killeen Castle in 2011. Lauren told me last week that this what inspired her to chase her dreams and get a scholarship to Wake Forest and her card on the Ladies European Tour.
Lauren ended up playing with Lexi in the Women’s British Open at Carnoustie 10 years later and is now working her way to getting a full playing card on the LPGA circuit in the USA. The event is continuing to inspire many young girls to follow in Leona, Stephanie and Lauren’s footsteps. It’s like a conveyer belt now that will continue for many years to come and hopefully produce more world class players like we have done in men’s golf. Eight of our top young Amateurs get invites to play in the event this year from KPMG and Sport Ireland which is an invaluable experience for them and will inspire them to follow in the footsteps of former winners Dame Laura Davies, Suzann Pettersen and Sophie Gustafson.
When I first worked for IMG after my pro career finished, I took over their LPGA clients which included superstars such as Nancy Lopez, Jan Stephenson, Donna White and Laura Baugh. It was a completely different scene back then with very few young players on tour. It was also a harder life where many struggled with the loneliness of life on tour and it was difficult to make ends meet with the prize money a fraction of what it is today. 250 yards was considered a long drive back then for women, so now when you see players like Lexi Thomson and Lauren Walsh hit it 290 it shows just how far women’s golf has come.
The average golfer with a double figure handicap enjoys watching the women play as it is more relatable for them than Rory hitting it 350 yards! This year over 35,000 spectators are expected to attend the event on the O’Meara course at Carton House. The event is family friendly with lots to do for all ages in the ‘Village’ which has the majestic Carton House as a backdrop.
It is also a special year for the LET who are celebrating their 40-year anniversary with a Founders Dinner at Carton House on Tuesday evening. The LET like the European Tour have been the foundation of building the professional golf in Europe for men and women and it is great to see so many different nationalities playing in this year’s event.
Hopefully the continued success of the KPMG event will contribute to the goal of getting the AIG Women’s Open to Portmarnock as a precursor to getting The Open there one day.
We are looking forward to a great week’s golf and hoping for an Irish win!