It's Official : Royal Portrush to host 2019 Open Championship

[Niall Hay]

The R&A announced today that the 148th Open Championship will be played at the Dunluce Course of Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, July 18-21, 2019, marking an historic return to that nation after an absence of nearly 70 years. The 1951 Open at Royal Portrush, won by Englishman Max Faulkner, marked the only playing of the Championship outside Scotland and England. Work is underway to create two new holes葉he 7th and 8th, using land from the adjacent Valley Course葉hat will replace the current 17th and 18th holes, and 200 hundred yards will be added to the course along with three bunkers, bringing the total to 62, still the fewest of any site on the Open rotation. The 2019 Open is expected to be the biggest sporting event ever held in Northern Ireland, generating more than $100 million of economic impact and destination marketing benefit.

[Niall Hay]

The R&A announced today that the 148th Open Championship will be played at the Dunluce Course of Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, July 18-21, 2019, marking an historic return to that nation after an absence of nearly 70 years. The 1951 Open at Royal Portrush, won by Englishman Max Faulkner, marked the only playing of the Championship outside Scotland and England. Work is underway to create two new holes葉he 7th and 8th, using land from the adjacent Valley Course葉hat will replace the current 17th and 18th holes, and 200 hundred yards will be added to the course along with three bunkers, bringing the total to 62, still the fewest of any site on the Open rotation. The 2019 Open is expected to be the biggest sporting event ever held in Northern Ireland, generating more than $100 million of economic impact and destination marketing benefit.n

[Howard Riefs]

Press release:
http://www.theopen.com/News/News/2015/10/Royal-Portrush-to-host-The-148th-Open-in-2019


Belfast Telegraph
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/royal-portrush-golf-club-will-host-2019-open-championship-34123315.html


Associated Press
http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/4d266f2aa04d4893a7c8b8476fd848bf/royal-portrush-host-british-open-2019

[David Davis]

This is really cool if you have yet to see it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOH5WfyBsOw&feature=youtu.be

[HarryBrinkerhoffDoyleIV_aka_Barry]

Why do they need a new 17th and 18th?  Is there something wrong with the existing holes?

[Alan Ritchie]

I think most would agree that 17 and 18 are relatively weak holes for such a venue although I recall 18 being a good test from my only experience a few years ago. I think they would also have struggled to get a tented village in and those two holes are right across from one another. will be fascinating to watch and interesting to see what the new holes turn out like

[Mark Pearce]

At least one story on this I saw yesterday was illustrated with a picture of Tom Watson playing out of the huge bunker on the right of the 17th during the Seniors, a bunker that won't be on the course when the Open visits. 

[Thomas Dai]

This is really cool if you have yet to see it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOH5WfyBsOw&feature=youtu.be

Thanks for highlighting this David. Most interesting and informative about what existed pre-Colt etc. Amazing what CGI etc can now show us as regards what's envisaged to come.


Replicating the Big Nellie bunker on the current 17th on the new 7th. Quite a few long walks greens to next tees (as usual these days) but an angled walk forward from the new par-5 7th green to the new 8th tee might slow play down a bit. Would be nice if the new 8th fairway could be a bit more humpy-bumpy per the existing land.


atb

[Jamie Pyper]

Thomas;
I agree with you that the new 8th fairway has the potential for an awesome "humpy- bumpy" fairway. I just returned Oct 12th from two weeks at Portrush and can report that the alterations to the Valley holes are nearing completion and look amazing. Nothing will be lost from eliminating the current 5th and 6th holes from the Valley, in fact, the two new par 3's and altered par 5 ( on the present Valley # 17)
are great improvements.


Still concerned that the new 2nd green on the Dunluce ( 40 yards longer) will not add enough length to make much of a difference.  I shared lunch one day with a few wise elder members who recall the original position for that green was back up the hill on the right side almost adjacent to the 3rd tee. We all agreed it would be a much better location.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Great news to see the return to Portrush.

[Jimmy Chandler]

Not just 2019 -- see this quote from the press release:

Acting First Minister Arlene Foster said, 的 welcome today痴 announcement that The Open Championship is to be held at Royal Portrush in 2019 and twice again in the future."

[Niall Hay]

Ebert pleased with progress of work at Royal Portrush


http://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/Article/Ebert-pleased-with-progress-of-work-at-Royal-Portrush/3522/Default.aspx#.VijjEtKrS71

[Wayne_Kozun]

Is there any reason why the Open Championship couldn't be held in the ROI, rather than just Northern Ireland?  From a golfing perspective isn't there just one Ireland represented by the Golfing Union of Ireland, not a ROI plus NI?  Where does it say that the R&A's domain for holding competitions, not to mention in other areas, is restricted to the UK?


It makes even less sense to call it the British Open when it isn't being held in Great Britain.

[Niall Hay]

It makes even less sense to call it the British Open when it isn't being held in Great Britain.

Only Americans call it the British Open, the rest of the world calls it The Open or the Open Championship.

[Jeff Johnston]

+1 to Niall's post above.

Wayne - purely from a jurisdictional perspective, I don't think there is any impediment to the R&A holding the Open Championship in ROI. The Amateur Championship was held at Portmarnock shortly after WWII and the same venue has also hosted a Walker Cup more recently (which is obviously better known).

[Jon Wiggett]

It makes even less sense to call it the British Open when it isn't being held in Great Britain.

Only Americans call it the British Open, the rest of the world calls it The Open or the Open Championship.

+2

[Garland Bayley]

Why do they need a new 17th and 18th?  Is there something wrong with the existing holes?

I believe the original articles on this said the 17th and 18th area will be access points for spectators.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Nothing will be lost from eliminating the current 5th and 6th holes from the Valley, in fact, the two new par 3's and altered par 5 ( on the present Valley # 17)
are great improvements.

 
I haven't seen the new holes but in my  OPINION the pair that were lost were "irreplacable", a stunning one, two combination. Who'd have thought it, three new holes on The Valley and they turn out to be worldbeaters. Both courses improved ....

[Neil Regan]

Only Americans call it the British Open, the rest of the world calls it The Open or the Open Championship.

UK Reuters







Irish Times





Daily Telegraph, Australia