K Club celebrates victory in Women’s Irish Open

The 2026 KPMG Women’s Irish Open concludes at The K Club, boosting regional tourism and international visibility.
Global broadcast reaches over 100m households, showcasing Ireland’s luxury travel sector.
US golf tourists spend 3 to 4 times more than standard leisure tourists on accommodation and premium dining.
Direct economic spending reaches €7m, with total economic output of €4.6m in Kildare.
Spectator footfall reaches 40,000 attendees, representing 46% attendance growth since 2022.

The 2026 KPMG Women’s Irish Open has concluded at The K Club in Straffan, County Kildare, delivering a boost to regional tourism, high-end hospitality, and international visibility, driven by a global broadcast reaching over 100m households and strong attendance figures.

Previous women’s Irish Open economic benefit has been calculated at €7m and €4.6 m in wider economic output and the K Club event is expected to exceed this due to higher attendance and a larger influx of higher spend international spectators. Saturday’s surge by local favourite Leona Maguire boosted the profile of the event among Irish spectators. The winner was Casandra Alexander from South Africa with a 20 under par score of 268.

The Palmer South course hosted the event, built to a pioneering “inland links” design to attract lucrative overseas golf tourists, particularly from the United States. International broadcast reach surpasses 100m households, serving as a powerful visual showcase for Ireland’s luxury travel sector. Location ties to the capital transport hubs allow regional tourism bodies to pull visitors easily from Dublin into Kildare.

The 2026 tournament, hosted from 27–30 August, directly leverages Ireland’s lucrative €300m annual golf tourism market. US golf tourists represent the highest-spending demographic in Irish tourism, spending an average of 3 to 4 times more than standard leisure tourists on accommodation, high-end transport, and premium dining. Strategic airport partnerships, notably with Shannon Airport Group featuring US Pre-clearance, streamline access for North American spectators and corporate guests. Positioned ideally in late August, the event serves as a prime buildup to the Solheim Cup, drawing prominent American media coverage and sports tourists tracking international stars.

The local hospitality sector in Kildare experiences an immediate and highly concentrated economic injection during the tournament week. Direct economic spending reaches approximately €7m from spectator, player, and sponsor outlays on hotels, retail, and local amenities, with total economic output estimated at €4.6m from the multiplier effect. Spectator footfall reaches approximately 40,000 attendees, representing a 46% attendance growth since the tournament’s 2022 revival. Luxury venues like The K Club and nearby Carton House report near-capacity bookings, with spillover effects filling boutique hotels and guesthouses across Maynooth, Straffan, and Naas. Local hospitality vendors and regional showcases experience peak seasonal revenue due to the high volume of international golf fans on-site.

Ryan McCarthy, Managing Partner of KPMG Ireland, shared, We are proud to continue our support of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open as it moves to The K Club in 2026.

Cian Branagan, CEO of ForeFront Group, shared, The K Club represents another major step forward and will undoubtedly set the bar even higher for the tournament.

MichaeJ Fetherston, Director at The K Club, shared, We have invested heavily in the Palmer South course and are excited to bring tournament golf back to it.