When is it on?
The JP McManus Pro-Am 2022 will take place at Adare Manor in Adare, Co Limerick on Monday, July 4th and Tuesday, July 5th. The event was originally planned for July 2020 but was postponed twice because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Is it on TV?
The sixth staging of the tournament is being shown on Sky Sports Golf and also free-to-air in Ireland on Virgin Media Two, with the broadcasts beginning from 2pm each day. The tournament will be broadcast in the US on the Golf Channel.
The Legend of Sparrow Robertson: The last sportswriter in Nazi Paris
‘Helping him in his darkest moment was also helping me’: David Eccles and Tadhg Kennelly on an act of friendship that spawned a movement
Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year Awards: ‘The greatest collection of women in Irish sport in one place ever assembled’
Two-time Olympic champion Kellie Harrington named Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year 2024
Why is the event significant?
McManus has managed to gather 10 of the 11 top golfers in the world in Limerick, including the last four major winners, as well as Tiger Woods in one of just a few public golf appearances by the American in 2022. The best of professional golf will be joined by a host of celebrity players. The pull of McManus remains remarkable and outside of the 2019 Open, this is one of the best gatherings of elite golfers in Ireland in many years.
Why has Tiger Woods chosen to play here, but not in other PGA Tour events?
Woods was first flown to Ireland to play golf in 1998 with McManus, who he was familiar with because of his regular visits to Isleworth in Florida. Since then, a loyal friendship has grown between the two. Before the 2005 event, Woods said “we come together for JP and for him only”. The relaxed two-day format, easier than a potential four-day Tour slog, is also seen as ideal preparation for the British Open at St Andrews in a few weeks.
[ Tiger Woods to play in JP McManus Pro-Am at Adare ManorOpens in new window ]
What Irish golfers are playing in the event?
The Irish contingent for the event includes a mixture of youth and experience as Rory McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington, Shane Lowry, Seamus Power, Leona Maguire, Graeme McDowell, John Murphy, Cormac Sharvin, Paul Dunne and Paul McGinley tee it up.
What other golfers are playing in the event?
Only Viktor Hovland is missing from the top 10 of the world rankings so Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are among the standouts from the PGA Tour. Meanwhile, LIV Tour rebels Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka will play against their old Tour rivals in a soon-to-be rare meeting outside the Majors.
[ Pádraig Harrington joins fray in critique of divisive LIV circuitOpens in new window ]
What celebrities are there to watch out for?
Celebrity pro-am staple Bill Murray will be there, as well as the likes of Niall Horan, Jamie Dornan, Shane Filan and Kenny Dalglish. Sadly, actor Mark Wahlberg is a late pull-out, but the mix of celebrities and top professionals will make for entertaining viewing.
What are the tee times?
The tee times are listed here. Tiger Woods is playing at 2.05pm on Monday and 1.45pm on Tuesday. Rory McIlroy is out at 2.25pm on Monday and 2.05pm on Tuesday. One to watch out for in the amateurs is the team of Bill Murray, Jamie Dornan and Niall Horan, playing with Luke Donald, teeing off at 8.10am on Monday and 12.15pm on Tuesday alongside Sam Burns.
What is the course like?
Celebrated golf architect Tom Fazio, described by Paul McGinley as the “Rory McIlroy of golf architecture”, has redesigned the course to high praise and the course is considered one of the premier parklands in the country. With a €70 million investment in the golf course, no stone was left unturned as the course gives an “Augusta” feel. The greens at Adare Manor were the first in Europe to feature super-fine bentgrass, and it is the first course in Ireland to incorporate the SubAir aeration system, one of only three courses in the UK and Ireland.
[ JP McManus Pro-Am deferred for a year due to CovidOpens in new window ]
What is the format of the event?
One professional will partner three amateur partners. There are two tournaments running in conjunction with each other. The professionals will compete in a 36-hole stroke play tournament over two days. The teams of four will play in a 36 Pro-Am net team event over two days, as the format will be a Shamble, (a version of a Texas Scramble), as the lowest single net score returned at each hole will be the team score. The professional winner will receive a trophy, Darren Clarke was the previous winner in 2010. The event is not affiliated with any Tour, but bragging rights will be up for grabs.
What is the purpose of the tournament?
Aside from showcasing Adare Manor to the world in advance of the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027, more than 100 charitable organisations from the midwest region of Ireland will benefit from the funds raised from the event. A full list of 2022 beneficiaries will be announced after the tournament. All money raised in their entirety of ticket sales go to the beneficiary fund. In excess of €43.7m was raised at the last staging of the event in 2010.
How many people are going and are there still tickets?
Up to 40,000 spectators are expected for the sixth staging of the event. The tickets, in the form of a flat cap, have been sold out for months. Gates are open at 6.30am, with the first tee time at 8am on Monday and 7.30am on Tuesday. It is a standing-only event, however, there is a spectator village at the Pro-Am, where catering and merchandise will be available.
