Portmarnock Golf Club in the Republic of Ireland is being considered by the R&A as a potential site for future renewals of the AIG Women’s Open and The Open Championship.
A spokesperson for the R&A 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.”
Portmarnock Club Captain Niall Goulding said: “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. 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.”
And Golf Ireland CEO Mark Kennelly believes hosting these events at Portmarnock would be another boost for Irish golf, as The Open returns to Royal Portrush in 2025 before the Walker Cup comes to Lahinch in 2026 and the Ryder Cup is at Adare Manor the following year.
“Portmarnock is steeped in history and golfing tradition and we welcome their initiative to potentially host the AIG Women’s Open and The Open,” said Kennelly. “This aligns with our vision to amplify Ireland’s footprint in international golf, building upon our successful hosting of prominent tournaments like The Open and the Ryder Cup. We are eagerly anticipating more global golf events coming to Ireland in the future.”
Portmarnock has a long track record of hosting big tournaments. The inaugural Irish Open was held on the north Dublin links in 1927 and it has staged 19 Irish Opens, the last of those in 2003. It also staged the Canada Cup, which evolved into the World Cup of Golf, in 1960 and the Walker Cup in 1991. It also hosted the Men’s Amateur Championship in 2019 and will host the Women’s Amateur Championship in 2024.
Portmarnock Golf Club’s potential to become a host venue for future major tournaments was significantly enhanced by its decision to end its male-only membership rule in 2021 following a vote by club members to end a policy that had stood for 127 years.
