Druids Glen "not in a position to comment" on Irish Open talk

The par three 12th at Druids Glen. Picture via druidsglen.ieFota Island appears to be the biggest rival to Carton House for the 2014 Irish Open. But what of Druids Glen, which hosted the event from 1996 to 1999?

El Niño in 1999. It appears that speculation that the County Wicklow venue that saw Colin Mongtomerie (twice), David Carter and Sergio Garcia all lift the trophy, is wide of the mark.

Not that Druids Glen are shooting down the chance to add to the chatter about bringing the big guns back for the first time since the 2002 Seve Trophy, when Seve Ballesteros made Montgomerie sweat blood to beat him in the singles.

“We are not in a position to comment at the moment,” a spokesman for Druids Glen said this week when asked if they were in the frame for the Irish Open next year. 

Fota Island are in talks with the European Tour about bringing a big event back to the Cork venue in the near future. The Irish Open is top of their shopping list but it remains to be seen what they can bring to the table and if the new Chinese owners are prepared to make a big investment that could deny Carton House the chance to showcase the O’Meara course from June 19-22.