The final countdown to the 2026 KPMG Women’s Irish Open began in earnest yesterday as media and partners gathered at The K Club in Co Kildare for the official launch of one of the most anticipated events on the Ladies European Tour calendar.
The championship will take place from August 27th to 30th on the Palmer South Course, bringing a world-class field, a record Irish presence and one of the strongest platforms yet for women’s golf in Ireland.
The Media and Partners Day offered a first look at what is in store when the tournament comes to The K Club for the first time later this summer. Stephen King of KPMG Ireland, Paul Heery and MJ Fetherston of The K Club, and Zoe Fitz-Costa of the Ladies European Tour joined Sport for Business Founder Rob Hartnett to set the scene for the week ahead.
They were followed by Irish professionals Áine Donegan and Olivia Mehaffey, alongside rising amateur star Olivia Costello, three players who reflect the different stages of the pathway now developing so strongly in Irish women’s golf.
This year’s field will be led by some of the most recognisable names in the sport. Charley Hull, the World No. 3 and one of the game’s most popular players, will return after making a strong impression on her debut appearance in the tournament last year. A seven-time Solheim Cup player with eight professional wins, Hull brings both star quality and a proven ability to energise a gallery.
Leona Maguire, the first Irishwoman to win on the LPGA Tour, is also confirmed for The K Club, as is Lauren Walsh, who secured her LPGA Tour card with a standout performance at Q-School in Alabama last December.
Sara Byrne, one of Ireland’s most consistent performers on the Ladies European Tour, will also be in the field, adding further strength to what is expected to be the largest Irish representation in the tournament’s history.
Donegan, the Lahinch golfer who became the first graduate of Golf Ireland’s Professional Pathway programme, will be another home player to watch. Mehaffey, from Tandragee, comes into the summer with confidence after topping the US Women’s Open qualifier at The Buckinghamshire in May, while Costello, the 18-year-old Roscommon amateur and two-time Irish Girls’ Amateur champion, represents the next generation coming through.
The presence of so many Irish players was one of the central themes of the launch. It reflects the growing depth in the game and the importance of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open as both a showcase and an inspiration point for young players around the country.
“We are delighted to be welcoming the KPMG Women’s Irish Open to The K Club for the first time,” said MJ Fetherston, Director of The K Club. “The Palmer South Course is ready to showcase the very best of what The K Club has to offer. We look forward to seeing the world’s best players take on the challenge in August.”
The K Club brings major championship pedigree and a strong tournament heritage to the event. The Palmer South Course will offer a fresh test for the Ladies European Tour field and is expected to provide a fitting stage for a tournament that has continued to grow in stature since its return to the calendar.
For KPMG, the event continues to sit at the heart of its support for women’s golf and wider ambition in Irish sport.
“The KPMG Women’s Irish Open has grown into one of the standout events on the sporting calendar,” said Stephen King, Partner at KPMG Ireland. “We are proud supporters of ambition and the role this tournament plays in advancing women’s golf in Ireland, and we look forward to welcoming the world’s best to The K Club in August.”
The championship has already delivered memorable moments in recent years, from strong crowds at Dromoland Castle to the growing profile of the event at Carton House. The move to The K Club gives it another lift, with the venue, field and timing combining to create real momentum.
The launch yesterday made clear that the ambition is not simply to host another tournament, but to stage an event that reflects the rapid growth of women’s golf in Ireland and internationally.
With Hull, Maguire, Walsh, Byrne, Donegan, Mehaffey, Costello and a record number of Irish women preparing to tee it up, the 2026 KPMG Women’s Irish Open is shaping up to be one of the strongest editions yet.
The course is ready, the field is building, and the countdown to August is now well and truly under way.
The KPMG Women’s Irish Open takes place at the K Club from the 27th to the 30th of August. Book your tickets here.
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