We were immersed in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open last week, as were the organisers, sponsors, players, and fans. It was a very special event to be a part of.

We ended with a great Champion, Lottie Woad, who announced on the 18th green that she would be turning professional later in the summer and now has the potential to be one of the greats of the game, based on what she has achieved in the Amateur ranks.

Lydia Ko is one of the very few amateur players to win a professional event on the Ladies European Tour, and she is the reigning Open Champion. That is the level that Lottie is aiming for, though she did say, in the moment, that she would love to come back and defend her trophy next year.

The 16 golfers who represented Ireland over the week did far more than play, supporting the idea that they were part of inspiring the future of the sport and signing more hats and flags than they could have ever imagined.

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan visited on Thursday, and Sport Ireland Chair John Foley and CEO Dr Una May were both in attendance, as well as the United States Ambassador to Ireland, Ed Walsh.

The hospitality area was bustling throughout, with KPMG as the Title sponsor, Amgen, Amundi, McCann Fitzgerald, and BMW as Premium Partners, entertaining the cream of Irish business.

Carton House, a Fairmont Resort, was a brilliant venue with the staff in the hotel and on the golf course rising to every moment just as the players did out on the course.

It was special to be entrusted with conducting interviews throughout the week with Lottie Woad, Leona Maguire, Charley Hull, Georgia Hall and Áine Donegan from the player ranks; with Dr Norah Patten, soon to be Ireland’s first person in space, Paul McGinley, last year’s winner Annabel Dimmock who is expecting her first baby in October, Rachael Blackmore, Ryan McCarthy, KPMG’s new Managing Partner who gave a lovely message of support to their ambassador Ciara Mageean, Marissa Carter of Cocoa Brown and Jen Halpin of McCann Fitzgerald loving their first year as a partner, and with Martin Mangan of Carton House.

Golf is a special way to foster great partnerships. The opportunity to play alongside the stars in the pro-am is unique, and the proximity and shared experience that the players bring to this event, will be keenly anticipated and one for your diaries,, in particular, make it hard to beat.

An announcement on the dates and venue for the 2026 event, coming in a Solheim Cup year will be keenly anticipated and one for your diaries whether you have been to the event before or not.

Here is a selection of images captured by Mel MacLaine through the week that will hopefully give something of a flavour of what we experienced.

 

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WHAT’S UP NEXT?

Sport for Business is in planning for major events bringing together leaders in Irish Sport and Business across a range of subjects in the second half of the year.

On Thursday, August 29th we will host a special event looking at Future Proofing Irish Sport including the use of AI in sport. Then in September we will host our Annual Children in Sport Conference, in October, our Annual Sport for Social Good Event, in November a new event focused on Sustainability in Sport and in December our 12th Annual Women in Sport Conference.

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