The Open Championship will return to Northern Ireland in 2019 at Royal Portrush for the first time since 1951. There have been many great champions to have come from Northern Ireland, most notably Rory McIlroy. But Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington are also big names that are excited to be playing the oldest Major Championship in golf at home.
The amateur championship was hosted at Royal Portrush last year as a test run for The Open – it’s a course that many elite golfers have a strong connection to and grew up playing. McDowell grew up in the town of Portrush while Clarke was a member there as a child. It also hosted the Irish Open in 2012 and is frequently listed as a a top links golf course in the world. To prepare for The Open though, some changes will be made to challenge the players even more.
Under the direction of architect Martin Ebert, work to create two new holes, using land from the adjacent Valley course, is already well under way. The new seventh and eighth holes will replace the current 17th and 18th, freeing up land for the spectator village and other infrastructure. The course length will increase by just under 200 yards to 7,337. As the event operates on a rota basis, Royal Portrush will be in line to host further Opens after it stages the event in 2019.
England’s Max Faulkner won The Open during its only previous staging at the venue 64 years ago. Prior to Royal Portrush, the Open will be held at Royal Troon (2016), Royal Birkdale (2017) and Carnoustie (2018). In the video above, watch as McIlroy, McDowell, Clarke and Harrington share their thoughts and excitement about playing The Open Championship at home in Northern Ireland.
Source: Golfing World
