Some of the world’s finest links courses will play host to R&A championships and international matches in 2018.
Historic Scottish links courses feature prominently on the list of venues announced today by the governing body. The Amateur Championship will be played at Royal Aberdeen, the host of Great Britain and Ireland’s victory over the USA in the 2011 Walker Cup match, and Murcar Links, which held this year’s Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play on the European Tour.
It will be the first time in The Amateur’s 130-year history that it has been played on the Balgownie links, where the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open was played in 2014 and the Senior Open in 2005. Several former Champion Golfers of the Year and Ryder Cup team members have played in The Amateur Championship over the years including Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo, Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Louis Oosthuizen, Justin Rose, Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Jose Maria Olazabal, who won in 1984, and Sergio Garcia, who won in 1998.
The Boys Home Internationals will be played at Royal Dornoch, the first time the round robin series of matches between England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales will have been played on the Sutherland links. The Junior Open, meanwhile, will be played at the Eden Course in St Andrews, which celebrated its centenary in 2014.
Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships at The R&A, said, “We have a very strong list of championship venues for 2018 and they will provide a real challenge for the leading amateurs. I know the players will be excited at the prospect of playing such outstanding links courses and we can look forward to some tremendous golf.”
Royal Portrush will welcome a field of 252 leading young players to Northern Ireland for the Boys Amateur Championship in 2018, the year before it hosts The 148TH Open. Neighbouring Portstewart will also host the stroke play qualifying rounds. Players of the calibre of Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sir Michael Bonallack are among the list of winners of the event while Major Champions Sandy Lyle, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy have all played in the Championship.
Royal Porthcawl, the venue for the Senior Open in 2017, will play host to the Seniors Amateur Championship the following year.
The St Andrews and Jacques Leglise Trophies will be played in Finland and the venue(s) will be announced by the European Golf Association.
The dates for the Championships and International Matches in 2018 are as follows:
The Amateur Championship, Royal Aberdeen and Murcar Links: 18 – 23 June
The Junior Open, Eden Course, St Andrews: 16 – 18 July
The St Andrews Trophy, Finland (venue tbc): 26 and 27 July
The Boys Home Internationals, Royal Dornoch: 7 – 9 August
The Seniors Amateur Championship, Royal Porthcawl: 8 – 10 August
The Boys Amateur Championship, Royal Portrush and Portstewart: 14 – 19 August
The Jacques Leglise Trophy, Finland (venue tbc): 31 August and 1 September
For more information visit championships.randa.org
View more Golf Course News and latest list of Most-read stories