R&A 'Pretty Close' to First Open Outside UK at Portmarnock
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- Mark Darbon, chief executive of the R&A, said the governing body is 'getting pretty close' to staging the Open at Portmarnock Golf Club in Dublin — a move that would take the championship outside the United Kingdom for the first time.
- The R&A confirmed a large-scale feasibility study is 'pretty much done' and that it believes an Open can be delivered at Portmarnock, while building a long-term model that also opens doors for the AIG Women's Open.
- The Irish government announced support of up to €40 million (£34 million) for the bid in 2024, with the R&A first revealing Portmarnock as a candidate venue in 2023.
- Shane Lowry said 'all the rumours are that it's going to be announced at some stage' after visiting the club last week, calling Portmarnock 'one of the best golf courses in the world' and fit for an Open.
- Darbon acknowledged the process is 'taking a bit longer than I and we thought it may,' but said the R&A is 'hoping to have a pretty clear view by the end of the year.'
- Portmarnock has previously hosted the men's and women's amateur championships; the 154th Open is under way this week at Royal Birkdale, with St Andrews hosting in 2026 and Royal Lytham & St Annes returning for the first time in 16 years in 2028.
Why it matters: A formal announcement would take the Open outside the UK for the first time in its 164-year history, opening a new host market backed by €40 million in Irish government funding — but the R&A's own admission that talks are 'taking a bit longer than…thought' shows the financial and governmental model, not golf logistics, is now the bottleneck.
