Northern Irish Open continues to raise the bar

After promising young Frenchman Clement Sordet clinched a dramatic victory at Galgorm Castle, everybody involved with the Northern Ireland Open in Association with Sphere Global and Ulster Bank reflected on another hugely successful edition of an event that continues to raise the bar year on year.

A total of 39,202 people passed through the gates all week at the event, which enjoyed plentiful sunshine, adding to the festival atmosphere which was enjoyed by adults and kids alike.

Certainly the players were wholesome in their praise and appreciation for the course conditions and set up, the European Tour-like infrastructure around the event and especially the fervent support from some of the most knowledgeable fans in golf. 

Here's what they had to say:

Haydn Porteous

"This is always a great event. The Irish love their golf and they've done a really good job this year again. Every time the supporters are out, no matter what the weather is like, and they've got the food festival as well which should bring bigger crowds, so it should be a good weekend.

"It is a bit nervy on the opening holes with the crowds, but you start to have a bit of a relationship with them and it's good fun, and you get to show them all what you can do."

Michael Hoey

"It feels like a European Tour event with the crowds we get. It's a great atmosphere if the weather's decent, though it doesn't matter how bad the weather is because a lot of people will always come out to watch. It's one of the premier events on the Challenge Tour."

John Hahn

"This is a great event. Any time you go anywhere in the UK those events are going to be great. I think the people are inherently golf fans and they just understand the sport and support it."

Emilio Cuartero Blanco

"I couldn't be happier with the crowd. Everyone here claps and cheers every shot so it's great to have all this support out here."

Jamie McLeary

"It's just like a European Tour event. Even the course is set up like that, it's tight and it's a good challenge. It's one of my favourite events on the Challenge Tour, and the support from the crowds is fantastic."

Simon Thornton

"It's a great event. I like the course, had played it a few times so I knew it was going to be good. It gives you the feel of a European Tour event and when the weather is good you get that kind of atmosphere. Everyone had told me that it was like a European Tour event but it's only when you arrive here you see that it really is."

Niall Turner

"They put on such a great event here for us, with everything outside of the golf so it's very well supported and it's a treat to play. It does feel like a treat for the week to have everything set up like they do here. The course was in great shape and the greens are perfect. You know if you hit a good putt it will go in."

Peter Whiteford

"It feels like you're at a big event. In Ireland they're always really good at this, with the tented villages and the people out there, all keen and very knowledgeable on their golf. It's a pleasure to play to be honest, it just feels like there's a buzz about the place."

Source: Northern Irish Open continues to raise the bar