Players competing in the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship in successive weeks next month have been handed a unique incentive to capture both those prestigious titles – a bonus of €1m.
That is the tempting prize on offer to anyone who achieves the feat of winning the Irish Open at Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort in Co. Limerick, Ireland, from 17-20 May, then follows up by claiming the BMW PGA Championship crown at Wentworth Club in Surrey, England, from 24-27 May.
The initiative, conceived by Tom Kane, proprietor of Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, and endorsed by BMW and The European Tour, means that the golfer who completes this unique ‘double’ will win with €2,141,660.
A first prize of €416,660 is on offer to the winner of the Irish Open while the winner’s cheque at the BMW PGA Championship amounts to €725,000, with the €1 million bonus awarded if the same player wins both titles.
No-one has previously won the two titles back to back – the tournaments have historically been played in different months – but three legends of the game, Seve Ballesteros (1983), Bernhard Langer (1987) and Ian Woosnam (1988) have all captured the titles in the same season while other luminaries such as Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Josà© Maria Olazà¡bal have won both events but in different years.
Tom Kane said, “The Irish Open at Adare Manor is delighted to be the driver behind this unique €1 million bonus prize on offer to a golfer who can win both these great events.
“I have no doubt that this bonus prize fund will help encourage even more of the world’s top players to participate at Adare Manor from 17-20 May and it would give me no greater pleasure than to see our Irish Open champion make the trip to Wentworth the following week and capture the €1million bonus prize.
“I am delighted that we now have in place a mutually beneficial association with an event as prestigious as the BMW PGA Championship and I firmly believe it reinforces our commitment to creating a new and improved brand for the Irish Open.”
George O’Grady, chief executive of The European Tour, said, “The Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship are two highly sought-after titles on The European Tour international schedule, and the concept of the €1 million bonus for winning both events adds extra spice to two outstanding weeks of golf in Ireland and England.”
The European Tour www.europeantour.com