Out of bounds: Irish Open set to be switched from Kilkenny’s Mount Juliet due to quarantine rules – report

Kilkenny looks set to miss out on this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open following reports that it being switched to Northern Ireland to circumvent quarantine rules in the Republic.

It “now appears likely” that the showpiece event will be moved from Mount Juliet to the Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort over the weekend of September 24-27, according to the Irish Independent.

This means competitors from the US Open will be able to travel  to the event without the need to quarantine as there is no 14-day quarantine restriction in Northern Ireland.

The tournament was originally scheduled to take place at Mount Juliet from 28-31 May, until the Covid-19 pandemic forced its postponement.

With as many as 40 European Tour players expected to take part in the US Open at Winged Foot on the weekend before the proposed new date for the Irish Open, the prospect of a severely weakened field was a major concern.

Galgorm is already scheduled to host the Challenge Tour’s NI Open at the start of September.