Executive to foot the bill for Irish Open in Portrush

Tourism Minister Arlene Foster at Royal Portrush, watched by Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke

The Northern Ireland Executive is set to be the main sponsor of golf's Irish Open at Royal Portrush in the absence of a backer from the private sector.

The tournament gets under way in six weeks time and ticket sales have been described as "unprecedented."

Major winners Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke will be joined by US PGA Championship winner, Keegan Bradley.

The prize fund for the competition is 2m euros but the total cost could be double that.

The event already has a number of small sponsors and the investment management company Brewin Dolphin has just announced that it will be another official sponsor.

In recent years the tournament has struggled to secure a long term title sponsor.

Last year when no sponsor could be found Discover Ireland, the tourism body in Ireland stepped in to foot the bill.

When it was first announced in July 2011 that it was hoped the tournament would be coming to Portrush, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster said in a statement: "This will need a major commitment from Royal Portrush Golf Club, the European Tour, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and sponsors."

Financial support

It is understood the tournament is still actively looking for a title sponsor but they have said in reality the sponsorship market, especially in terms of prestigious sponsorship for European Tour events like the Irish Open, remains very difficult.

The European Tour said that the executive as the title sponsor will get a comprehensive benefits package and global exposure that will reflect that level of investment.

The executive will be hoping that this investment could tempt other golfing events, such as the British Open to Portrush.

The Irish Open last came to Northern Ireland in 1953, when it was played at south Belfast's Belvoir Park Golf Club.

The last time Royal Portrush staged a major competition was the Open in 1951.