There was much weeping and gnashing of teeth when the GUI opted not to send an amateur to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open this year.
With all the top Irish players in action at the European Team Championships, the powers at Carton House felt it would be better to guard an ace in the hole and push for more invitations for top Irish amateurs in other European Tour events rather than going well down the pecking order.
That decision relieved the pressure on places in the Irish Open field that might otherwise have stymied Team Ireland Golf players like Gavin Moynihan or Gary Hurley, both of whom eventually teed it up at Portstewart
Their strategy has come to fruition sooner than expected with The Island's Paul McBride handed an amateur invitation to tee it up in next week's €2m Porsche European Open in Hamburg.
We understand there will be more invitations in the pipeline for elite Irish amateurs in the future, including the Irish Open.
World No 54 McBride is one of three amateurs invited to tee it up at Green Eagle Golf Course next week alongside his fellow Wake Forest team mate Will Zalatoris (the world No 11) world No 8 Sean Crocker from USC.
McBride will join Paul Dunne in an elite field that also includes US PGA champion Jimmy Walker, former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and US Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed.
from News - Irish Golf Desk http://ift.tt/2urKfsx
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