In the world of professional golf, certain courses draw considerable continuous attention—the likes of Augusta National, Pebble Beach, and The Course at St. Andrews easily come to mind. Hosting professional events is not an easy thing as various logistical elements are central to any event, and the timing is no less a concern as schedules can prevent a range of top-tier players from competing.
Perennially rated among the world’s top 10 courses is Royal County Down Golf Club—located in Northern Ireland and ideally situated with the Mountain of Mourne to the west and Dundrum Bay providing the eastern boundary. The course has always been hailed and this year’s Irish Open only served to reinforce the utter brilliance of its design and continued relevance. The Irish Open marked a return to County Down—for the first time in 76 years—with all three other events coming before World War II.
For four days last week, the Championship Course at County Down hosted the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, and at the end of 72 holes only five men had broken par for the event. A three-man sudden death playoff was needed to settle things, and in the end Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark bested Bernd Wiesberger of Austria and England’s Eddie Pepperell with two-putt birdie on the first playoff hole—the par-5 18th.
Royal County Down Golf Club Shows Itself Well
Royal County Down Golf Club is a classic old-school golf course that the purists enjoy.
Martin Kaymer tees was one of a number of players to not make the cut at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation at Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, Northern Ireland. Andrew Redington/Getty Images
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M. James Ward
Author
Ward is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and Met Golf Writers Association. He has covered over 100 major championships and 12 Ryder Cup Matches. His golf acumen extends to architecture/travel, equipment, apparel, and general interest stories as well as in-depth interviews with the leading participants and influencers in the sport.
