Royal Portrush some way from hosting another Open Championship

Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A, admitted that he’s a massive fan of Royal Portrush today, but highlighted a number of issue that would need to be oversome for the Northern Irish venue to be reintroduced onto the Open Championship course rota.

“It’s a favourite of mine,” Daswon said. “Wonderful golf course, wonderful challenge. And it’s great to see how successful the Irish Open was and particularly the enthusiasm from the spectators in that part of the world.

“If you were at the Irish Open and compare it with what we’re doing here, we’re talking 20,000 grandstand seats here and I doubt they had 2,000 at the Irish Open.

“You’re talking about a tented village here I would estimate ten or more times the size it was at the Irish Open. And the crowd size at the Irish Open, whilst it was very good, was only as good as perhaps the lowest crowd we expect at an Open venue, i.e., Turnberry.

“Where would you have the 72nd hole? Where would you put the big grandstand complex? The practice ground would need a lot of work at Portrush in my own estimation. And as I say, we don’t have a finishing hole that would have the grandstands around it.

“So there would be much work to do for an Open to go to Portrush. But we have been there before. It’s always been to an extent on our radar. And our Championship Committee will, I’m sure, continue to evaluate it. But don’t expect anything imminent, that’s for sure.”