A bitter dispute within Ballybunion GC over the viability of staging the Irish Open there next year was ended yesterday by an announcement from the sponsors. Murphy's have decided not to pursue the issue, because of what it terms as the club's right to limit spectator numbers.

It is a surprising outcome to a situation which seemed certain to be thrashed out by a special general meeting of the club, possibly later this month. Spectator limits, which were considered ridiculously restrictive by the sponsors last month, are now apparently understandable.

A statement issued yesterday by the tournament organisers claimed that the sponsors and Ballybunion GC had worked very closely in a detailed study of the project. It went on: "The number envisaged would not allow a sufficient level of spectator participation in the Open.

"Murphy's appreciate the club's concerns and its right to limit spectator numbers. In view of this outcome, it will not be possible to stage the 2000 Murphy's Irish Open in Ballybunion."

The statement concluded: "The Murphy's Irish Open has extended its thanks to the club for the courtesy and co-operation shown to the event managers during the process of assessment."

One wonders what has happened to bring about such a change of attitude in the last month. Murphy's managing director, Padraig Liston, who might have been expected to take a sympathetic view of the situation given his position as a native of the town and a member of the club, said then: "They (the club) are not making it easy for us to put in on there."

And after disclosing seriously restrictive attendance figures of only 4,000 per day for the general public, along with a further 2,000 club members, he added with a wry smile. "In fact if they insist on these attendance figures, I can't see it going ahead."

Since then, the question of whether the club would bend in relation to these figures became a seriously divisive issue among its members.

When the club committee refused to move from their original position during a meeting last Monday night, two prominent members signed a petition calling for a special general meeting of the members to vote on the issue. This was handed into the club's offices at lunchtime on Thursday.

Later that day, former captains of the club, Jackie Hourigan and Sean Walsh, expressed the hope that the committee would re-consider the matter. Indeed Walsh, who is unquestionably the most knowledgeable member of the club as far as the development and protection of the links is concerned, claimed that daily attendances of between 10,000 and 12,000 could be accommodated.

Now we have Murphy's agreeing to the original limits imposed by the club committee. Among the points made by the club in a statement yesterday were:

"Courses where major events are held are usually either modern courses which were constructed with spectators in mind or they have wide areas throughout the course which can accommodate crowds. Ballybunion has very few areas where spectators can be accommodated, and in these areas the numbers would be much smaller than are usually seen at such events.

"Spectators will hope to make dunes their vantage point. Dunes are particularly susceptible to damage from trampling crowds - already some dunes in Ballybunion are losing marram grass because of traffic by golfers. In dry conditions, the surface of dunes can be broken, exposing raw sand."

The general tone of yesterday's statements suggests that everything between club and sponsors is amicable. So what has brought about the dramatic volte face from Murphy's in the last month?

One can only assume that they have found a more suitable venue. It would appear that the sacrifices they were expected to make for a once-off staging at Ballybunion GC to mark the millennium were considered not worth the trouble.

Meanwhile, a decidedly positive point to emerge from the entire exercise is that any future accusations of the premier links in the south-west being overlooked for major events can be promptly dismissed. Indeed claims that Ballybunion would be a worthy Ryder Cup venue, now appear decidedly hollow, even laughable.

We await a further announcement from Murphy's, in the knowledge that on this occasion the homework will have been done, thoroughly.