The Irish Open has announced a major new sponsor, which secures its position as one of the DP World Tour's main events in mid-summer.
Starting with this year's event at Mount Juliet, which runs from 30 June to 3 July, Horizon Therapeutics, a global biotechnology company headquartered in Dublin, will be the title sponsor.
Crucially, the prize fund will be $6 million - over 75% more than last year's €3m - and the new sponsors are tied in for a six-year-contract.
The Irish Open had lost some of its lustre in recent seasons after three years as a Rolex Series event from 2017-2019.
Long-time sponsors Dubai Duty Free agreed to sponsor the 2021 event but no sponsor was in placed when the Irish Open was confirmed at the DP World Tour calendar last November.
This year's event comes two weeks before the British Open at St Andrew's and one week before the Scottish Open regarded as the key Open warm-up event.
Former tournament host Rory McIlroy said a fortnight ago that he was unsure if he would play at the Irish Open this summer but organisers will hope that the tournament now proves a bigger lure to golfers on both the DP and PGA Tours.
The equivalent PGA event at the same time is the $7m John Deere Classic.
The history of the Irish Open has been turbulent in terms of title sponsors, with no backer for the tournament as recently as 2014.
The announcement is welcome news for Irish golf given the tournament was one of the heaviest hit by the global pandemic.
From its high point with events at Ballyliffin and Lahinch over the last four years, the event slumped in prizemoney to just €1.25m in 2020.
There are no plans for it to be restored to Elite Rolex series status but it should prosper in other ways as it is part of the new deal done between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour in a Strategic Alliance which was negotiated last year.
That could be lead to a number of more high-profile American players taking part.
Additional reporting: Greg Allen
