Royal Portrush proved that taking the Claret Jug across the Irish Sea wasn't just a good idea; it was a goldmine. The 2019 Open in Northern Ireland shattered attendance records, delivered unmatched atmosphere, and showed the R&A that their prized tournament didn't need to stay tethered to the British mainland to feel historic.
Now, the R&A is preparing to pull off an even bolder play. They want to cross an international border and bring the Open Championship to the Republic of Ireland.
During his pre-Open press conference at Royal Birkdale, new R&A chief executive Mark Darbon dropped the most definitive update yet: the R&A is "pretty close" to bringing the world's oldest major to Portmarnock Golf Club. The extensive feasibility study is basically finished. The verdict? The R&A officially believes Portmarnock can host the Open Championship.
This is no longer a hypothetical "what-if" discussed over pints in Dublin pubs. It is a matter of when, not if.
The Audacity of Leaving the United Kingdom
To understand why this is such a massive shift, you have to look at the history of the tournament. The Open Championship has never been played outside the United Kingdom. Royal Portrush, while on the island of Ireland, sits in Northern Ireland—meaning it remains firmly within the UK.
Taking the tournament to Portmarnock, situated just 10 miles north of Dublin's city center, means staging a British Open in a completely sovereign, independent nation.
For traditionalists, this might feel like a step too far. For everyone else, it is a brilliant recognition of where golf’s true heartbeat lies right now. Ireland is a golfing superpower. Its fans are some of the most passionate on earth, its courses are legendary, and the financial windfall of bringing a major to Dublin would be astronomical.
Darbon made it clear that the R&A is not looking at Portmarnock as a one-off novelty act. They want to build a long-term model that integrates the Dublin links into their rotation for both the Open and the AIG Women’s Open for decades.
Why Portmarnock is a Masterpiece of Links Design
Ask any touring professional who has spent time in Ireland about Portmarnock, and they will likely tell you it is one of the fairest, toughest, and most pure links tests on the planet. Unlike the towering, dramatic dunes of Lahinch or Ballybunion, Portmarnock is a subtler beast. It lies on a low peninsula, presenting a relatively flat profile that relies on exquisite routing, shifting winds, and punishing green complexes to protect par.
Founded in 1894, the course has a pedigree that few can match. It has hosted:
- The Walker Cup in 1991 (where a young Phil Mickelson played)
- The Amateur Championship multiple times
- The Irish Open on 19 occasions
It is a traditional 27-hole championship venue where the wind constantly changes direction because of the way the holes loop back on themselves. You never play more than two holes in the same direction, meaning players are constantly forced to adjust to crosswinds, headwind, and downwind shots.
Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, who grew up nearby, has gone on record stating that Portmarnock is as good as—if not better than—anything currently on the Open rota. It is a championship-ready layout that does not need artificial trickery to challenge the modern professional.
The Bottleneck on the Peninsula
If the golf course is so perfect, why has it taken this long? The answer has nothing to do with grass, bunkers, or greens. It is entirely about tarmac and toilets.
The modern Open Championship is a monster. We are no longer talking about a sports event; it is a temporary city. When St Andrews hosted the 150th Open, it attracted 290,000 spectators. Even smaller venues on the rota regularly pull in well over 200,000 people across the week.
To make that happen, you need space for:
- Dozens of massive double-decker hospitality pavilions
- A sprawling spectator village with food, drink, and retail
- A broadcast center capable of beaming high-definition signals to hundreds of millions of homes
- Parking, bus terminals, and train access for tens of thousands of fans arriving simultaneously
This is where Portmarnock’s geography becomes a nightmare. The club sits on a narrow, low-lying sandy peninsula with essentially one road in and one road out.
Martin Slumbers, Darbon’s predecessor, openly expressed skepticism years ago, pointing out the massive logistical hurdles. He noted that while the course was world-class, the infrastructure simply was not there to handle a modern major crowd.
If you tried to run an Open at Portmarnock without major changes, the surrounding roads would lock up in a multi-mile gridlock before the first tee time of the day.
How the Irish Government and Club Members Saved the Bid
Solving a massive logistical bottleneck requires two things: public money and member cooperation. Fortunately for golf fans, both aligned.
The Irish government, realizing the immense tourism and branding value of hosting the Open, stepped up with provisional backing. Minister for Sport Catherine Martin and local authorities worked hand-in-hand with the club to execute the feasibility study that Darbon just praised. This study was designed to map out exactly how to bypass the single-road issue, utilizing nearby rail links (the DART train line runs reasonably close to the property) and constructing temporary access corridors to move people efficiently.
Meanwhile, the members of Portmarnock Golf Club did something rare for an elite, historic club: they embraced change.
They brought in the renowned architectural firm Mackenzie & Ebert—the same outfit that advises on almost the entire Open rota—to draft a master plan. The members voted to approve a series of strategic changes to prepare the course for the sheer scale of the tournament.
These updates include:
- Reimagining the 2nd Hole: Converting the par-4 second hole into a world-class par-3.
- The 5th Hole Green Relocation: Building a brand-new green on the 5th hole. This change is purely structural and safety-oriented. In the past, players attempting to drive the short, 398-yard par-4 third hole would frequently hit balls dangerously close to the old fifth green. Moving the green keeps spectators and players safe from stray tee shots.
- Siting for Grandstands: Creating dedicated, flat areas alongside the dunes to construct the massive grandstands required for modern galleries.
By proactively making these adjustments, the club proved to the R&A that they were not just waiting around for an invitation—they were actively building the solution.
What Portmarnock’s Rise Means for the Rest of the Rota
The Open rota is a zero-sum game. There are only so many years, and only so many slots. If Portmarnock joins the party, someone else is going to lose out.
Look at the current state of play:
- The Locked-In Venues: St Andrews is the permanent home, returning every five years (confirmed for 2027). Royal Birkdale is hosting this week, and Royal Lytham & St Annes is locked in for 2028. Royal Portrush has established itself as a massive favorite that will remain a frequent stop.
- The Outsiders: Donald Trump’s Turnberry remains firmly out of favor. Despite being one of the best golf courses on the planet, the political baggage means the R&A has no plans to return there anytime soon. Muirfield is also facing a self-inflicted waiting game. The R&A is hesitant to bring the Open back to East Lothian as long as the DP World Tour continues to host the Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club, which sits right next door.
- The Forgotten: Prince's in Kent hasn't hosted since 1932, and Darbon officially ruled out any return there, despite the club's excellent recent course work.
If Portmarnock becomes a regular host, it puts immense pressure on classic English and Scottish venues like Royal Troon, Carnoustie, and Hoylake. The R&A knows that the financial and atmospheric returns in Ireland are simply too massive to ignore.
When Can We Expect the First Tee Shot?
While Darbon is optimistic, he is also realistic. Staging an Open is not something you rush.
The R&A hopes to have a completely finalized, crystal-clear view of the timeline by the end of 2026. Given that the rota is already mapped out through 2028, and the planning requirements for an overseas Open are immense, do not expect to see the Claret Jug handed out in Dublin before 2030.
But the heavy lifting is done. The feasibility studies are signed off, the club is actively reshaping its turf, and the political will is fully aligned.
The Open is going to Dublin. It is the correct competitive decision, a brilliant commercial play, and a historic milestone for global golf.
