The 2009 Irish Open Golf Championship will take place at the Baltray Golf Club in County Louth, between May 14-17, 2009. It had been scheduled to be played for the third year running at the Adare Country Club, however, financial difficulties has prevented that from happening this year but the Baltray will still provide the perfect setting for this prestigious European Tour Event.



Baltray however is no stranger to the Irish Open Golf Championship, having hosted the event in 2004, when Australian, Brett Rumford was victorious with an impressive score of 14 under par.

The Championship was first played in 1927 and continued running for 23 years until 1950. Like many sports however, at that time, the tournament suffered from post war financial constraints and was discontinued until 1975. It has been a European Tour favourite ever since and some of the biggest names in European Golf history have won the tournament.

The 2008 Irish Open was won by Englishman, Richard Finch, who famously fell into the lake when playing his second shot to the 18th green. Fortunately for him, before getting wet he managed to strike the ball on to the green, before putting out to win his second European tour event.

Other famous winners have been Ireland's favourite golfing son, Padraig Harrington, who won at the Adare Club in 2007, before going on to win his first golfing major, the British Open. He also won the British Open in 2008 and won his third Major a couple of months later when taking the PGA Championship in America. Harrington was the first Irish winner since John O'Leary won in 1982.

Former US Open champion, Michael Campbell won the Irish Open in 2003, but there have been several Majors winners who have triumphed in Ireland. Nick Faldo, who won six Majors, famously won in Ireland three years in succession between 1991-1993. German Bernhard Langer won a record equalling four times between 1974-94. Five times Major winner, Seve Ballesteros has won three Irish opens while other winners have been Ian Woosnam (twice), Jose Maria Olazabla, Colin Montgomerie (three wins) and current world number three, Sergio Garcia.

The O'Connors are famous Irish golfing names; Father, Christie, won the Irish Open a record four times, between 1964-72 and then his son, Christie O'Connor junior won in 1975.

The field this year will be as illustrious as ever, featuring many world and European stars who will bid to join an astonishing Irish Open roll of honour. Favourite to win the tournament is likely to be Harrington as he looks to prepare to bounce back to Major form with both the US Open and British Open fast on the horizon over the next couple of months. However, with so many youngsters making breakthrouh's this year, perhaps it will young Ulsterman, Rory McIlroy who may carry best Irish hopes on the back of a respectable 20th place finish at the US Masters in Augusta in April and will be looking to add to his first European Tour win, the Dubai Desert classic back in February.