The Irish Dunlop Tournament was a professional golf tournament played in Ireland until 1980. It was one of the top events on the professional circuit in Ireland.
Prior to World War II, it was a 72-hole stroke play event known as the Dunlop-Irish Tournament and was one of several regional tournaments sponsored by Dunlop in which the winners were sometimes invited to play in the Dunlop-Metropolitan Tournament. After the war Dunlop revived the tournament in 1946, switching to match play in 1947. After a break of two years, the Irish Dunlop returned as a 72-hole stroke play event in 1950, after which it was staged annually until its cancellation in 1981. It also provided a qualification route for the prestigious Dunlop Masters on the British PGA circuit.
In its final year, Des Smyth broke all records for the tournament as he finished 16 strokes ahead of the field with a 261 (27 under par) aggregate. He also set a new course record for Headfort Golf Club with a 64 in the final round, having already recorded 65 in both the first and third rounds.
Winners YearVenueWinnerScoreRef 1980 Headfort Des Smyth 261 1979 Tramore David Jones 284 1978 Hermitage David Jones 279 1977 Douglas Peter Townsend 276 1976 Hermitage Eamonn Darcy 275 1975 Bundoran Eddie Polland 277 1974 Hermitage Christy O'Connor Jnr 284 1973 Headfort Eddie Polland 283 1972 Kilkenny John O'Leary 280 1971 Douglas Jimmy Kinsella 279 1970 Tullamore Hugh Boyle 277 1969 Bundorran Michael Murphy 284 1968 Limerick Hugh Jackson 279 1967 Tramore Christy O'Connor Snr 275 1966 Bettystown Christy O'Connor Snr 265 1965 Carlow Christy O'Connor Snr 288 1964 Galway Christy Greene 276 1963 Douglas Nicky Lynch 279 1962 Elm Park Christy O'Connor Snr 276 1961 Clontarf Nicky Lynch 278 1960 Dun Laoghaire Christy O'Connor Snr Jimmy Kinsella 271 1959 Hermitage Norman Drew 284 1958 Elm Park Harry Bradshaw Norman Drew 288 1957 Dun Laoghaire Jimmy Henderson Willie Gaffney 283 1956 Dun Laoghaire Fred Daly 276 1955 Dun Laoghaire Christy O'Connor Snr 268 1954 Woodbrook Fred Daly 270 1953 Newlands Christy O'Connor Snr 278 1952 Castle Fred Daly 273 1951 Milltown Harry Bradshaw 274 1950 Castle Harry Bradshaw 282 1949 1948 1947 Portmarnock John McKenna 6 and 5 1946 Castle Fred Daly 288 Dunlop-Irish Tournament 1937 Newlands John McKenna 288 1936 Royal Belfast Paddy Mahon 298 1935 Royal Dublin Pat O'Connor 290 1934 Knock Willie Nolan 283 1933 Milltown Willie Nolan Pat O'Connor 291
See also Dunlop-Metropolitan Tournament
References