Report: The R&A Claim Only One Irish Venue Is Being Discussed For Open Championship

Currently, there are nine courses on The Open Championship rota, with 14 courses, in total, having staged the oldest competition in all golf. Currently, England (4), Scotland (4) and Northern Ireland (1), share the honours, but could a 10th course be added soon?

Well, recently, it was reported that Portmarnock Golf Club  in Fingal, Ireland, will ask the Irish government for help in trying to bring the Open Championship to Dublin after having "informal contact" with The R&A.

Previously, The R&A has 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 and, currently, no course outside of the UK has ever held the Open.

Along with Portmarnock, Ballyliffin has also, reportedly, thrown its hat into the ring for staging the event but, in a report by the Irish Independent, Portmarnock is the only course under consideration, that's according to an R&A spokesperson.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, the spokesperson for The R&A stated: "We responded to Portmarnock's proposal to say we are interested in exploring it further with them and with the Irish Government. These are the only discussions we are involved in."

One of the professionals who would be in support of an Open at Portmarnock is Rory McIlroy, with the four-time Major winner commenting: "I think there's every chance that they're seriously looking at it. 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.”

The Claret Jug returned to Northern Ireland in 2019 for the first time in 68 years, at Royal Portrush, and the venue will be hosting The Open again in 2025. In the case of Portmarnock, if it were to host The Open, it would make history by being the first time it has been staged outside of the UK.