Govt to explore potential of hosting Open Championship at Portmarnock

The government has announced its intention to explore the possibility of hosting the Open Championship and the AIG Women's Open in Portmarnock Golf Club.

The final decision to support any such bid would rest on the discussions which will take place between the R&A and Portmarnock GC this summer and subject to a positive economic impact assessment.

Commenting on the decision, Minister for Catherine Martin said it "increase Ireland's reputation as a world centre for golf" and that hosting the AIG Women's Open would have a "positive impact on closing the gender participation gap in sport, and boosting women's participation and equality in golf."

Golf's oldest major returns to the island of Ireland in 2025, with Royal Portrush hosting the event for the third time, having previously held it in 1951 and 2019.

However, an Open in Portmarnock would mark the first time it was held in the Republic of Ireland and the first time outside the United Kingdom.

R&A chief Martin Slumbers was asked about the possibility last week at Royal Troon, and described the logistical challenges involved as "not trivial".

"It's all about getting people in and out of the peninsula," Slumbers said. "It’s a tight little area, and to move that number of people, you need to be able to treat the people not just properly, but you need to have safety and health and all sorts of things that are really important. So those are issues that need to be resolved."

While the Open schedule is only set in stone up until 2026, with Royal Birkdale set to host the year after next, two-time winner Padraig Harrington, a major advocate of taking the tournament to the Dublin links, has said he doesn't see it as being possible before 2030.

Portmarnock has held the Irish Open on 19