Powerscourt centre stage

The Smurfit Irish PGA Championship - which, with a prize fund of £108,000, is the largest closed professional event in Europe - will have its seventh different venue in nine years when it is staged at Powerscourt on October 15th-18th.

When assuming the title sponsorship of the tournament, Michael Smurfit stated his intention to move the championship to different venues all over the country. So it is that Woodbrook (1990, '91), The K Club (1992, '93), Galway Bay (1994), Belvoir Park (1995), Slieve Russell (1996) and Fota Island (1997) have all staged the event.

An indication of how seriously Ireland's European Tour players treat the championship is that Paul McGinley has already confirmed that he will defend the title he won in Cork last year, while Padraig Harrington, Philip Walton, Des Smyth, Eamonn Darcy and Christy O'Connor jnr have also committed themselves to the tournament.

The move to Powerscourt means that the Irish PGA returns to a venue close to Dublin for the first time in five years. Speaking of the event, Smurfit, chairman and chief executive of Jefferson Smurfit Group, said he was "delighted" that it was once again coming back to the east coast. "I'm sure it will be an excellent test for the players," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Michael Slazenger, president of Powerscourt Golf Club, commented: "This will be our first major championship and we are certainly looking forward to see just how Ireland's top professional golfers will cope with the course which we believe is set to become one of the great tests in Irish golf."

The course was designed by Peter McEvoy, the current Walker Cup captain, and was opened in 1996. "We are confident Peter has created a challenge that will pose problems for the best," said Slazenger. It was a point back up by Michael McCumiskey, the PGA Irish Region secretary, at yesterday's launch. "There are a number of exceptional holes in Powerscourt and, overall, it represents a tough but fair test," he said.

There will be a pre-qualifying tournament for the championship at Seapoint Golf Club on September 15th.