Portmarnock Seek Government Help To Boost Open Championship Bid

Portmarnock Golf Club will ask the Irish government for help in trying to bring the Open Championship to Dublin after having "informal contact" with the R&A.

The R&A has previously made a number of visits to the venue, which has hosted the Amateur Championship and Walker Cup, ahead of it staging the Women’s Amateur Championship next year.

No course outside of the UK has ever held the Open, but Portmarnock now seems to be under serious consideration.

And with the prospect of being able to hold golf's oldest Major, Portmarnock will ask for government assistance ahead of putting together a formal approach to host the Open or AIG Women's Open.

Portmarnock club captain Niall Goulding says the next step is to get government help ahead of a detailed viability survey around infrastructure and accessibility needed to stage an event as big as the Open. 

"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," said Goulding.

"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."

Rory McIlroy spoke about the prospect at the Irish Open last month, saying it would be an amazing Open host. 

"I think there's every chance that they're seriously looking at it," said the World No.2.

"So I think it would be fantastic. There are so many other considerations to hosting a Major championship apart from just being a great golf course.

"There has to be a lot of stuff that that makes sense. But, you know, 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.”

Royal Portrush will host the Open again in 2025 after the Claret Jug returned to Northern Ireland for the first time in 68 years for Shane Lowry's 2019 success.

Now the much heralded north Dublin course of Portmarnock could make history by taking the Open outside of the UK for the first time.

A course with great history as well as great surroundings, Portmarnock has held numerous big events down the years - including being the host for the Irish Open 19 times.