Graeme McDowell to Miss Irish Open to Defend PGA Tour Title | Golf news

Graeme McDowell will not participate in this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

Graeme McDowell has confirmed that he will miss the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open for the first time since 2001 to defend his Corales Punta Cana Resort and Club Championship title.

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McDowell was supposed to host the next two editions of the event, only for the 2020 contest to be postponed to its original May date and lose its Rolex Series status due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The tournament was moved from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland due to global travel restrictions, and the event was rescheduled for September 24 and 27 to fill the week left vacant by the postponement of the Ryder Cup.

McDowell missed the cut at last year’s Irish Open

The new date collides with the reorganized Corales Punta Cana Resort and Club Championship, where McDowell claimed a one-time victory in 2019, and the 41-year-old returned to the Dominican Republic later this month instead of competing in his homeland in Galgorm Castle. .

In a statement posted on Instagram, McDowell said: “I have made the very difficult decision not to travel and compete in this year’s DDF Irish Open at Galgorm Castle.

“I have never stopped attending this great event in the past 18 years and I regret that due to necessary changes made to the event, travel and scheduling issues, I am choosing not to play this year.

“I will be competing that same week at the Corales Punta Cana Resort and Club Championship, defending the title I won in 2019. Defending a title is something special and an honor that I have tried to take seriously all my career.

McDowell’s only win was his fourth PGA Tour title

“Under normal circumstances, defending this event would not take priority over playing my Open at home, but the unprecedented circumstances make this a better option for me at the moment.

“I want to apologize to Dubai Duty Free and take the opportunity to thank them again for the wonderful commitment they have made to put the Irish Open back on the map. We hope to be back in 2021, with the event in full swing, surrounded by the big Irish fans, assuming we can put the problems caused by COVID behind us. “

Rory McIlroy and defending champion Jon Rahm are among the other players to confirm that they will not travel back to play the tournament, which takes place the week after the US Open, although current Open champion Shane Lowry has made a commitment to the event.

Catch the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open live September 24-27 on Sky Sports Golf!