Derry: Spain’s Jon Rahm won the Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation with a record score of 24 under par at Portstewart Golf Club, in Derry, Northern Ireland on Sunday.
Rahm is the fourth Spaniard to win the tournament after Seve Ballesteros (1983, 1985, 1986), Jose Maria Olazabal (1990) and Sergio Garcia (1999).
A crowd of over 20,000 were there for the final day and a total of 92,534 people visited during the week.
This was the third year DDF had sponsored the event, and DDF executive vice-chairman and chief executive officer, Colm McLoughlin, said: “The golf course here at Portstewart provided an absolutely stunning backdrop and plenty of challenges to the competitors, which really added to the sense of occasion around the week.
“This has become such an important event due to the fact that it is one of just eight tournaments on the Rolex Series, meaning that it has a substantial prize fund of over $7 million (Dh25.7 million) this year. The tournament has developed and grown since the Rory Foundation became involved and we took over the title sponsorship three years ago and it is now one of the European Tour’s most important events.”
On the sidelines of the tournament there was a DDF Arabian Night’s Party, which celebrated all things Arabian.
It was also announced that next year’s edition of the event would be held at Ballyliffin Golf Club in Donegal.
“The setting is spectacular, it is home to two of Ireland’s best links courses and we know that the international visitors who will come to Donegal will really enjoy the scenery and the dramatic landscape,” McLoughlin added of next year’s venue.
DDF also title sponsors horse racing’s Irish Derby and the Dubai Tennis Championships, and support golf’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the Emirates Airlines Dubai Rugby Sevens.