Davies to defend title at Citywest

LAURA DAVIES, the only player to have held the title since the tournament began two years ago, will be among the field when the Guardian Irish Holidays women's open moves to new pastures at Citywest Golf Club, near Rathcoole in west Dublin, this year.

Davies has confirmed she will defend her title at the Christy, O'Connor junior designed course on, July 25th to 28th when there will be double Solheim Cup points on offer to European tour players.

St Margaret's has acted as host to the tournament for the past two years but it has been decided to move to the opposite side of Dublin this time.

Recently, the European women's tour players voted the Irish Open as their favourite tournament of the year and, at last night's launch, the Minister for Tourism, Enda Kenny, said: "It is quite remarkable that a tournament so young has found a place in the hearts of these players so quickly. I put that down to the sheer professionalism, presentation and, indeed, the social ambience that greets players when they visit here.

Apart from Davies, Marie Laure de Lorenzi and Alison Nicholas are others who have intimated they will be participating in the tournament.

The Citywest course hosted the Irish Masters, won by Des Smyth in 1994. O'Connor junior said: "It is an ideal venue for the Irish women's open and I believe the 18th hole, which is ode of the toughest finishing holes in golf, will provide spectactors with many moments to cherish. The course will prove very challenging to the women professionals."