THE Irish Open Golf tournament goes all the way back in time to 1927. With such a rich heritage, it is regarded as one of the best European Tour events by the players. Many will associate Irish Open golf with the Portmarnock links just outside of the capital city Dublin. Today, there are millions of euros up for grabs each week for the players, but the very first Irish Golf Open had a much more humble prize fund of just £750.

Irish winners of the event have been very few and far between, but Padraig Harrington was the winner in 2007 just before he went on to win the British Open later in that summer. There have been a handful of other Irish winners since the Second World War, including Fred Daly in 1946, Christy O'Connor Jnr. in 1975 and John O'Leary in 1982 and of course Shane Lowry last year in Baltray.

The Irish Open has been won, over the years, by many of the world's golfing greats, including names such as Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer, who each won three times. Ian Woosnam was also a double winner, while José Maria Olazábal has landed the title once.

One of the great features of the event is the number of outstanding courses which have hosted it over the years, including Portmarnock, Royal Dublin, Killarney, Mount Juliet, Druid's Glen, Ballybunion, Fota Island, Baltray, Carton House and Adare Manor. Previous Winners (venue) 2009 Shane Lowry (Ire) County Louth Golf Club 2008 Richard Finch (Eng) Adare Manor Hotel Golf Resort 2007 Padraig Harrington(Ire) Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort 2006 Thomas Björn (DK) Carton House 2005 Stephen Dodd (Wal) Carton House 2004 Brett Rumford (AU) Baltray 2003 M Campbell (NZ) Portmarmock 2002 S Hansen (DK) Fota Island 2001 C Montgomerie (Sco) Fota Island 2000 P Sjoland (SE) Ballybunion 1999 S Garcia (ES) Druid's Glen 1998 D Carter (Eng) Druid's Glen (after play-off with C Montgomerie) 1997 C Montgomerie (Sco) Druid's Glen 1996 C Montgomerie (Sco) Druid's Glen 1995 S Torrance (Sco) Mt Juliet 1994 B Langer (Ger) Mt Juliet 1993 N Faldo (Eng) Mt Juliet (after play-off with JM Olazabal) 1992 N Faldo (Eng) Killarney (after play-off with W Westner, SA) 1991 N Faldo (Eng) Killarney 1990 JM Olazabal(SPN) Portmarnock 1989 I Woosnam (Wal) Portmarnock (after play-off with P Walton, Ire) 1988 I Woosnam (Wal) Portmarnock 1987 B Langer (Ger) Portmarnock 1986 S Ballesteros (Spn) Portmarnock 1985 S Ballesteros (Spn) (Royal Dublin) 1984 B Langer (Ger) Royal Dublin 1983 S Ballesteros (Spn) (Royal Dublin) 1982 J O'Leary (Ire) Portmarnock 1981 S Torrance (Sco) Portmarnock 1980 M James (Eng) Portmarnock 1979 M James (Eng) Portmarnock 1978 K Brown (Sco) Portmarnock 1977 H Green (USA) Portmarnock 1976 B Crenshaw Jr (USA) Portmarnock 1975 C O'Connor Jr (Ire) Woodbrook 1953-1974 No Championship 1953 E Brown Belvoir Pk 1951-1952 No Championship 1950 H Pickworth Royal Dublin 1949 H Bradshaw Belvoir Pk 1948 D Rees Portmarnock 1947 H Bradshaw Portrush 1946 F Daly Portmarnock 1940-1945 No Championship 1939 A Lees Newcastle 1938 A Locke Portmarnock 1937 B Gadd Portrush 1936 R Whitcombe Royal Dublin 1935 E Whitcombe Newcastle 1934 S Easterbrook Portmarnock 1933 E Keynon Malone 1932 A Padgham Cork 1931 E Keynon Royal Dublin 1930 C Whitcombe Portrush 1929 A Mitchell Portmarnock 1928 E Whitcombe Newcastle 1927 G Duncan Portmarnock