R&A ‘hopeful’ for future Portmarnock staging of The Open but says a lot of work still be done

The visible signs of a 13-week countdown to The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush are evident around the majestic Dunluce links, as horseshoe grandstands and corporate hospitality – an integral part of the commercial success of the championship’s return – merge in with the natural sand dunes.

Come July 17th-20th, a record crowd of 278,000 spectators will attend the championship – up more than 40,000 on the total back in 2019 when Shane Lowry famously captured the Claret Jug – which will be the largest attendance outside of when the event is held on the Old Course at St Andrews.

However, Mark Darbon, the chief executive of the R&A, confirmed there is no guaranteed timeline on when Portmarnock Golf Club in north county Dublin would potentially play host to the championship, which would be the first time golf’s oldest Major would be staged outside of the United Kingdom.

“We’re doing a lot of wor...
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