The Irish government has agreed to explore a bid to host The Open and the AIG Women’s Open at Portmarnock Golf Club.
The famous course, which is located on the north-east edge of Ireland’s capital Dublin, has long been tipped as a potential site to become the first host course outside of the United Kingdom in the Open Championship’s 152-year history.
However, until now, not all of the relevant authorities – namely the Irish government – have been totally convinced about submitting an official bid.
Yet, on Wednesday, the Irish Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media announced ministers would be looking into a proposal.
In a statement confirming the news, Simon Harris’ government said that “any final decision to support the bid to host The Open is subject to a positive outcome to discussions that will take place with The R&A and Portmarnock Golf Club over the summer period and to a positive economic impact assessment.”
Fingal County Council welcomes today’s announcement that Government is to explore a bid to host The Open Championship and the AIG Women’s Open at Portmarnock Golf Club.Fingal County Council has been working for several months with The R&A and Portmarnock Golf Club to scope out… pic.twitter.com/UcFEnIo1G8July 24, 2024
Should Portmarnock ultimately welcome the world’s best players in the men’s and women’s game, it would follow Royal Portrush as the second host venue of either Open Championship on the island of Ireland.
Portrush hosted The Open in 2019 and 1951, and it will do so for the third time in 2025. Royal Birkdale, near Liverpool, will follow suit in 2026. The AIG Women’s Open has only ever been hosted by English or Scottish courses since it began in 1976.
R&A officials previously confirmed to Golf Monthly that Portmarnock is of interest to them in terms of staging The Open at some point in the future, but all parties would need to be on board in order for that to happen.
Speaking in October 2023, an R&A spokesperson said: “Portmarnock is undoubtedly one of the world’s outstanding links courses and we believe there is the potential to host our major championships there, but it is essential that a full evaluation is carried out to assess whether it is feasible and what would be required to make it happen.”
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