A celebration of Irish golf recently took place.
Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Padraig Harrington thrilled fans at the K Club at the Horizon Irish Open.
McIlroy didn’t just stoke excitement with his golf, but with some comments he made after the first round on the prospect of The Open heading to the Republic of Ireland.
Portmarnock in County Dublin is the course in question, a golf club that allowed women members for the first time in its history in 2021.
“Having a course that’s so close to a major city, so close to a major airport, having a great golf course, I think it would be amazing,” he said. “I think they are seriously looking at it.
“I was looking forward to Portrush but (concerned) in terms of how it would do commercially – there are so many other considerations to hosting a major championship apart from it being a great golf course.”
The Irish Independent has since reported Portmarnock will approach the government to seek support for holding two of golf’s biggest events in the near future.
“The club has had informal contact with The R&A regarding the possibility of hosting the AIG Women’s Open and The Open at Portmarnock in the coming years,” Niall Goulding, the captain of Portmarnock said.
“Without a detailed survey, it is not possible to verify the ability of the property to act as host to a major championship, given the significant infrastructural requirements of such an event.
“The Club has determined that Government support would be critical for a project of this magnitude and, consequently, will now approach the relevant Government authorities to establish their position on providing support for a formal application by Portmarnock to The R&A to host a major championship.”
The County Dublin course recently became eligible to host R&A events after voting to allow nine women to join in December of last year.
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Portmarnock has previously hosted the Walker Cup and the Amateur Championship. The club established in 1894 will also host the Women’s Amateur in 2024.
Infrastructure and golf course access could be the stumbling blocks Portmarnock would need to overcome to host The Open, which will head to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland in 2025.
The tournament made a sensational return to County Antrim in 2019 after a 68-year absence.
The R&A declined to comment on the prospect of Portmarnock hosting The Open Championship.
R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers ruled out the possibility of Portmarnock holding The Open last year, while at this year’s championship, he also ruled out Royal Porthcawl in Wales.
The Open Championship future venues
2024: Royal Troon Golf Club, Troon, Scotland
2025: Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush, Northern Ireland
2026: Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England
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