The Arnold Palmer Cup will now be played in December after being swtiched from Lahinch to Bay Hill Club, in Florida, because of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture by PETER LOCKLE

THE Arnold Palmer Cup – the annual match between the best American and international college golfers – is the latest casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2020 Arnold Palmer Cup was originally scheduled to be played at Lahinch GC, in Ireland, from July 3-5.

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak sweeping across the USA and Europe, it will be rescheduled to take place at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, on December 21-23, 2020.

The matches will return to the PGA Tour venue at Bay Hill, host of the inaugural playing of the Arnold Palmer Cup in 1997.

Surrey’s Angus Flanagan winner of the Carris Trophy in 2016. Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

Surrey’s former Carris Trophy winner Angus Flanagan, from St George’s Hill, who is in his third year at University of Minnesota, is one of two English players who will now play at Bay Hill, just before Christmas.

The other is Hallamshire’s Alex Fitzpatrick, the younger brother of European Tour winner Matt Fitzpatrick, who played in last year’s Walker Cup defeat for Great Britain and Ireland against the USA, and is at Wake Forest.

The two teams were selected – using the Arnold Palmer Cup rankings based on US college results and picks by each selection committee and the two sets of coaches.

Three Irish players have been denied the chance to play on home soil at Lahinch – Arizona State’s Olivia Mehaffey, Wake Forest’s Mark Power, and Maynooth University’s Caolan Rafferty.

The University of Washington’s Alan Murray is the head coach of the men’s team, who was looking forward to leading the Internationals in the Irishman’s homeland.

Maynooth’s Barry Fennelly is Murray’s assistant coach, while Mehaffey’s team-mates are being led by University of Virginia’s Ria Quiazon-Scott, from the Philippines.

Lahinch Golf Club – which hosted last year’s Home Internationals which was won by defending champions England – will now host the Arnold Palmer Cup in 2024.

Amy Palmer-Saunders – the daughter of legend Arnold Palmer – said in an online statement. “Mindful of the difficult and challenging time for everyone coping with the effects of this pandemic, it is hoped that rescheduling to December will allow the matches to be played in 2020.

“The guidance of leading public health authorities will dictate any further changes to the schedule, with this competition only taking place if it is safe and responsible to do so.”

Palmer’s daughter Amy added: “We look forward to welcoming the top men and women collegiate golfers to Bay Hill.

“My father would have wanted to find a way to honor their excellence in these unprecedented times and hosting the rescheduled Arnold Palmer Cup at Bay Hill will be a fitting way to do so.

“While we are disappointed not to visit Lahinch this summer, we are thrilled that Lahinch has agreed to host in 2024.

“The Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, which carries on the legacy of my parent’s philanthropic initiatives, and conducts the Arnold Palmer Cup with the GCAA, WGCA and foundation partners Rolex and Nike, is so appreciative of their support during these trying times, as well as The R&A and USGA.

“We are also especially grateful for our collaboration with Lahinch Golf Club, its members and the Lahinch community, and their collective support for the Arnold Palmer Cup. We anticipate a wonderful Palmer Cup in 2024.”

Lahinch will become the third Repubic of Ireland course to stage the Arnold Palmer Cup

Lahinch follows great Irish hosts

LAHINCH Golf Club is fully committed to staging the Arnold Palmer Cup in 2024 when it returns to Europe.

Padraig McInerney, tournament director at Lahinch Golf Club, said: “The postponement of this year’s Arnold Palmer Cup is perfectly understandable amid this current pandemic.

“While it is a great disappointment for Lahinch Golf Club, its members and the entire local community, we remain fully committed to the event – and the wonderful concept of honouring young, talented golfers and, in doing so, providing them with the opportunity to experience international competition over some of the world’s great courses.

“We offer our congratulations to those honoured with selection in 2020 and look forward to continuing our relationship with the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, college golf and to hosting the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup.”

Lahinch Golf Club was founded in 1892 and is consistently ranked in the top 50 golf courses in the world.

Originally laid out by Old Tom Morris, Dr Alister MacKenzie was retained in 1926 to redesign the course.

MacKenzie declared: “Lahinch will make the finest and most popular golf course that I, or I believe anyone else, ever constructed.”

Lahinch will become the third course in the Republic of Ireland to host the tournament after Doonbeg, in County Clare, in 2002, and Ballybunion, in 2004.

Bay Hill is renowned as the winter home of Arnold Palmer, combining world-class golf in an exclusive club setting.

The par 72, 7,381-yard Championship course sweeps across 270 acres along the shores of the Butler Chain of Lakes.

Since 1979, Bay Hill has been home to the Arnold Palmer Invitational – one of the most popular tournaments on the PGA Tour.

Arnold Palmer Cup alumni Francesco Molinari (2019) and Matt Every (2014-15) have claimed victory at Arnie’s tournament.

The 18th hole at Bay Hill has seen plenty of drama in the Arnold Palmer Invitational

How the Arnold Palmer Cup evolved

THE Arnold Palmer Cup was co-founded by Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

It began at Orlando’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in 1997.

The event is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men’s and women’s university/ college golfers matching the United States against a team of international players.

The Arnold Palmer Cup has been played at some of the world’s greatest courses including St Andrews’ Old Course, Whistling Straits, which is set to the Ryder Cup in September, Royal Liverpool’s Hoylake, Baltusrol, The Honors Course, and Cherry Hills.

The United States leads the series with 12 wins to 10 – just one of the 13 matches has been tied.

The 2018 matches at Evian Resort Golf Club, the French club which hosts the LPGA Major annually, became the only major tournament which features men and women playing side-by-side as partners.

And in 2019 the event became truly global with the Americans taking on an International team for the first time.

The Internationals claimed 13 of the 24 points in the Sunday singles matches at The Alotian Club, in Arkansas to become the first visiting team to win on US soil since 2009.

The first six editions of the Arnold Palmer Cup were played between the USA and Great Britain Ireland, before it became a European team in 2003 for the match at Kiawah Island, with the visitors winning at the the 1991 Ryder Cup venue in a reverse of the professionals’ match’s outcome.

The USA won at Royal Portrush, in Northern Ireland, in 2010, with the Europeans gaining the upper hand at Royal County Down, another superb course in the six counties, two years’ later.

The hosts also won when the Arnold Palmer Cup was played at Walton Heath – another Ryder Cup venue – in 2014, and Formby GC, in Lancashire, in 2016.

The winning International team at the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup with former US president Bill Clinton at the Alotian Golf Club, in Arkansas.

Arnold Palmer Cup’s famous alumni

SINCE its inception, more than 100 Arnold Palmer Cup alumni have gone on to earn cards on either the PGA Tour, European Tour or LPGA.

Twenty-nine have represented Europe or the USA in the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup, and more than 60 have claimed in excess of 240 victories on the PGA or European Tours.

Among the Europeans to feature were Graeme McDowell, Luke Donald, Jon Rahm, Andrea Pavan, Alex Noren, Alejandro Canizares, Joost Luiten, Jorge Campillo, Justin Walters, Paul Dunne, Richard Ramsay, Scott Jamieson, Thomas Pieters and Norway’s Viktor Hovland, who won the Puerto Rico Open in February.

Hovland played in the 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup alongside Hampshire’s Harry Ellis, who went on to claim the Amateur Championship two weeks later.

Surrey’s Ben Taylor, who graduated from the Korn Ferry to earn his PGA Tour card for 2020, played in 2013, while Woburn’s Steve Lewton, who is on the Korn Ferry Tour this season after coming through its Q-school, played back in 2006 at Prestwick, when a European team won 191/2-41/2.

The American teams have featured Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Bryson DeChambeau, J B Holmes, Matt Kuchar, Patrick Cantlay, Brandt Snedeker, Ryan Moore, Lucas Glover, Charles Howell III, Hunter Mahan, Ben Curtis, and Nick Watney.

•The Arnold Palmer Cup is supported by Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation.

It provides a platform for perpetuating the legend – who won seven Majors – and his commitment to youth development plus the growth of amateur and collegiate golf. 

For more information visit ArnoldPalmerCup.com

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2020 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open host Graeme McDowell will be playing at Mount Juliet Estate in the Rolex Series event

MAJOR champion and Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell will host the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open for the next two years – beginning at Mount Juliet Estate, in May.

The 40-year-old succeeds Rory McIlroy and, latterly, Paul McGinley as tournament host of the historic event.

His stint will begin at the iconic County Kilkenny venue, which hosts the island of Ireland’s national open for the first time in 25 years from May 28-31, 2020, while the 2021 venue is yet to be confirmed.

Former Ryder Cup captain McGinley hosted what was regarded as a hugely successful edition at Lahinch Golf Club last year following McIlroy’s four-year stint as host,.

During that time the tournament flourished, becoming part of the European Tour’s prestigious Rolex Series in 2017.

McDowell is now looking forward to building on these strong foundations over the next two years.

The 2020 Irish Open will become the second Rolex Series event of the year when it returns to Ireland, although McDowell would love to host the event in Northern Ireland in another 12 months’ time.

“It’s a huge privilege to have the opportunity to host the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in both 2020 and 2021,” said Portrush native McDowell.

“The event has gone from strength to strength over the last few years with the support of Dubai Duty Free and the efforts of Rory and Paul as hosts, alongside everybody at the European Tour.

“I’m really looking forward to taking on that responsibility over the next two years and adding to the history of this great tournament, which has become a global spectacle that Irish golf fans can be proud of.

“Our island is famous for its incredible golf courses and passionate golf fans, both north and south of the border, and obviously I would love to bring the event to Northern Ireland in 2021.

“But my focus now is on next year at Mount Juliet Estate and making sure that is another world-class sporting occasion.”

McDowell’s two-year spell as host of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open will be another significant entry in his already-impressive CV.

He has won 10 times on the European Tour including the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach – when he famously became the first European winner in 40 years.

Later that year he claimed the winning point in Europe’s 14½-13½ victory in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

McDowell has played four times overall in the biennial contest, winning nine points, while he was a vice-captain for the first time under Thomas Bjørn at Le Golf National last year.

Colm McLoughlin, chief executive of Dubai Duty Free, said: “We are very pleased Graeme McDowell will take on the role of host for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open for 2020 and 2021.

“Graeme has always proved himself to be a wonderful sports person who can perform and compete at the highest levels.

“His vast experience and talent will no doubt further grow the interest among both players and fans in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

“Mount Juliet will be a magnificent venue for 2020, it is a stunning parkland course and is often referred to as a ‘great spectator course’ by fans.

“We are looking forward to working with Graeme and the European Tour over the coming months and wish him the best of luck in his work.”

Damien Gaffney, director of Tetrarch – the owners of Mount Juliet Estate – said: “We are delighted with the announcement that Graeme McDowell will be our host here next year and it will be a pleasure to welcome Graeme back to the estate.

“Graeme has played our course previously during the 2004 American Express Championship, and now to welcome him as host of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open is fantastic news and we really hope he enjoys the overall experience.

“To have a Major champion such as Graeme hosting this wonderful event is an honour for all of us here at Mount Juliet Estate.”

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “We were delighted when Graeme expressed the desire to host the Dubai Duty Irish Open for the next two years.

“Not only is he a Major champion and Ryder Cup legend, but he is also a terrific ambassador for our game.

“I am certain that he will enjoy the role of host and he will be a great success in it, building on the work of Rory and Paul.

“Having Graeme as host for the next two years allows us to plan and maximise the many opportunities that exist across Ireland for both editions.”

Tiger Woods and Ernie Els won WGC-American Express title at Mount Juliet

MOUNT Juliet previously hosted three consecutive editions of the Irish Open from 1993-95 – won respectively by Sir Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and Sam Torrance.

The luxury five-star resort also hosted Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf in 1997, a challenge match between Tom Watson and Fred Couples, won by the latter.

The World Golf Championship’s American Express Championship was held there in 2002 and 2004 – with Tiger Woods and Ernie Els winning respectively.

Early bird ticket prices for the 2020 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open begin at €13 for the Wednesday pro-am day, with Thursday and Friday day tickets available for a special price of €23.

Saturday and Sunday tickets begin at €27. Fans can enjoy five days of world-class golf and entertainment for only €83 if they purchase their early bird season tickets before March 3.

Children under 12 years of age are entitled to free entry when accompanied by an adult. Day junior tickets for those aged between 12 and 17 years of age are €10 (€25 for a season ticket) while students aged between 18 and 24, and over 65s, can buy concession tickets at €15 for Thursday and Friday, €20 for Saturday and Sunday (€60 for a season ticket).

Parking access can be purchased for €5 per day, or €10 for a season ticket which covers all five days.

Official tickets can be found online at Eventbrite by clicking here. The resale of tickets on unofficial platforms will render the ticket void. the European Tour warns.

Official hospitality tickets are also available on the ticketing page, or by contacting the European Tour’s sales team on (01344) 840681 or by emailing hospitality@europeantour.com

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ENGLAND Golf have announced a strong team for the defence of their title at the Men’s Home Internationals, to be played at Lahinch, in Ireland, from September 11-13.

The 11-man team includes West Cornwall’s Harry Hall, and Somerset pair Tom Sloman and Tom Plumb, who will travel to Ireland straight from playing in the Walker Cup match at Royal Liverpool the weekend before, but not schoolboy Conor Gough, the 16-year-old English Amateur Champion, from Buckinghamshire’s Stoke Park GC.

Captain Nigel Edwards has also picked Rotherham’s record-breaker Ben Schmidt and Ben Jones, from Northamptonshire County, who were listed as first and second reserves for the biennial fixture against the USA when the Walker Cup team was named on Monday.

The 2019 team also includes Jake Burnage and Bailey Gill, who were part of the 2018 English Men’s Home International team that beat this year’s hosts Ireland in the deciding match 12 months ago at Conwy GC, in Wales.

Plumb and Sloman were also part of that winning squad. Hall and Schmidt are both newcomers to the Home International team and earn their first full England caps.

Hall graduated from University of Las Vegas, in May, where he won twice in five weeks in 2018 and played under Cornwall’s Walker Cup player Philip Rowe, who was in the same team as Justin Rose, in 1997.

They are joined by Hampshire Hog winner Matty Lamb, Yorkshire’s Ben Hutchinson and Wallasey’s Joshua McMahon, who also make their debut in the contest.

The final debutant is Northamptonshire County’s second representative in the team – Callum Farr, who lost in the final of the English Amateur to Stoke Park’s Conor Gough at Hankley Common, earlier this month.

Farr, who earned his place in this year’s England A squad by winning the Selborne Salver last year and by reaching the last four of the 2018 English Amateur, was also runner-up in the Spanish Amateur, in March.

Two reserve players have also been selected – Castle Royle’s David Langley and Malton and Norton’s Yorkshire player David Hague, who both were in the team a year ago.

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Jon Rahm claimed his second Irish Open and third Rolex Series tournament with a two-shot win over Andy Sullivan, Eddie Pepperell and Rafa Cabrera-Bello at Lahinch, in front of sell-out weekend crowd in County Clare. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JON Rahm carded a sizzling 62 in the final round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open to become the first player to win three Rolex Series titles in front of sell-out crowds at the famed Lahinch Golf Club.

The Spaniard entered the final day five strokes behind leader Robert Rock but stormed to the top of the leaderboard after carding an eagle and eight birdies to get to 16-under – and win the Irish Open for the second time.

Rahm said: “I keep saying, I love is this tournament. I love this country. I love the people and feel like I’m at home every time I come.

“My game was in great form, it just didn’t show the first two days. I couldn’t hole the putts, and the weekend was the complete opposite.

“Putts started rolling in from everywhere, I felt really confident and I knew I could do something.

“I knew I had to do it today to have a chance, and man, I kept looking at the leaderboard and looking up, and after 10, I’m like okay, let’s get a good run and that eagle on 12 just completely got me going.

“Even though I had the little mistake on 13, I just knew that my target number was 15-under.

“Definitely thrilled with the back nine I had. Me and Adam (caddie) did a lot of work over the weekend to polish the mistakes over the first few days,” added Rahm who admitted he was excited to repeat his win in front of the Irish galleries and match the achievement of his hero Seve Ballesteros.

Rahm added: “I think Seve was the only Spanish player to win more than one and to join my name to that trophy again, it’s special.

“It’s probably one of my favourite trophies that I have at home, and to have another one, it’s definitely a special moment. I don’t know how to explain it.”

It was two years ago that Rahm lifted the trophy in his rookie season for a maiden European Tour win.

Rahm now has four titles to his name, with three of those coming in the prestigious Rolex Series – after just his 34th appearance.

The victory moves the 24-year-old to the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings and also takes him back into the top 10 on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Austrian Bernd Wiesberger and England’s Andy Sullivan finished two off the lead, a shot clear of two more Englishmen – Oxfordshire’s Eddie Pepperell and Robert Rock – and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello.

Sullivan, who has been slowly finding his form after achieving three wins in 2015 to earn a Ryder Cup place, said: “I just managed to get it around a number really. Stuck in there well. Mentally I was very good.

“I chipped and putted it around nicely. Not my best, but I was really happy to come up with the score I did and finish my round.

“It is getting better, I must admit. It’s starting to come back to when I was playing my best in 2015. Hopefully more of the same trending that way and I can get my hands on the trophy.”

Wiesberger and Rock earned places in the field at next week’s 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club, with their top 10 performances, as did England’s Paul Waring, who finished at 12-under along with another Spaniard in Jorge Campillo.

Wiesberger, looking for a second win in 2019 after his triumph at the Made in Denmark after a spell distrupted by injury, said: “I had a lot of time to reflect and work on some things on my game.

“A lot on the mental state I want to be out on the golf course and it’s a lot better. It’s just nice to see it pay off every now and then and getting to play a couple rounds in the 60s, seeing myself on the leaderboard again, it’s very nice.

“We’ve done a lot of good things out there this week and hopefully we can get do well next week in Scotland and then in Ireland.

“That was the goal. It was lovely to get a sniff at it again at Pebble Beach for the qualifier, and it’s great to be in position to play with all these guys in the biggest events, and there’s no bigger than The Open Championship and the Majors.

“I was really relaxed all week and enjoyed my time out there and took advantage of my good shots and really happy to be going to Portrush.”

The event at Lahinch GC, emulated 2012 at Royal Portrush Golf Club, by selling out both Saturday and Sunday – crowds totallling 86,793 came through the gates at the famous Old Course links.

Colm McLoughlin, chief executive of Dubai Duty Free, said: “That was another fantastic edition of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, and Jon Rahm is a worthy winner.

“This has been a wonderful week of sport, festivity and fun, there were sell-out crowds and a fantastic atmosphere both at the golf and in the village.

“I would like to thank and congratulate Paul McGinley, Lahinch Golf Club, the European Tour, Clare County Council, the local community and all who worked so hard and partnered with us to make this tournament so special.”

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