The Government has agreed at Cabinet to support the hosting of The Open and the AIG Women’s Open at Portmarnock Golf Club, subject to further conditions being met.
This is a significant step towards the potential hosting of these major sports events at the historic venue in North County Dublin.
The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media will continue to engage with Portmarnock Golf Club and The R&A to further explore the costs of hosting and to prepare a full business case for the events, in line with the Department’s recently published Major International Sports Events Policy.
The Department assesses each request for support to a major event on its own merits. In particular, it is imperative to ensure that any state investment yields economic, participation, and sports benefits.
The Open has only been hosted twice outside England or Scotland; on both occasions, it was hosted at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. It will return to Portrush in 2025.
It is estimated that up to 245,000 tickets to The Open could be sold per iteration. Should Ireland host three iterations of The Open and at least one AIG Women’s Open this could result in a cumulative gross economic impact of €338 million.
Ireland already has a reputation as a world-leading golf destination. Hosting these outstanding events would further enhance its status as a global venue for golf.
The Government has supported the successful hosting of a range of major international events across a number of sports and disciplines to date. Ireland is currently preparing to host the Ryder Cup in Limerick in 2027, co-host the UEFA Euro 2028 tournament, and co-host the T20 Men’s World Cup in 2030.
“The potential to host The Open and the Women’s Open would bring endless opportunities for the country including showcasing Ireland on the world stage and promoting equality in sport,” said An Taoiseach Simon Harris.
“It would also provide cultural, economic and social benefits and be a significant boost for the country.
“We already have a reputation as a world-leading golf destination and hosting these events would further enhance Ireland as a global destination for the sport. I look forward to the next steps to hopefully make this happen.”
“Ireland is now a step closer to holding the world’s oldest and most prestigious golf championship, which would also see it being held outside the UK for the very first time.,” added Minister Catherine Martin.
“I welcome today’s decision by the Government in relation to the potential hosting of both The Open and the AIG Women’s Open at Portmarnock Golf Club. The hosting of these events and particularly the AIG Women’s Open, in Portmarnock would represent a significant moment for equality in sport and greater participation in golf and would be one of the biggest women’s international sporting events ever held in Ireland.”
“Also, the enormous value that this brings to our tourism sector, and to golf courses, communities and businesses all across the island, is well recognised.”
“On numerous occasions, Ireland has shown that we have what it takes when it comes to successfully hosting major sports events on a global stage,” said Minister of State Thomas Byrne.
“Following the publication of Ireland’s first-ever Major International Sports Events policy just last week, I am very glad to see our possible hosting of The Open and the AIG Women’s Open advanced by the Government today.”
“Our potential hosting of The Open and the AIG Women’s Open offers many exciting possibilities, including the opportunity to ensure a meaningful legacy of sports participation for all to benefit from.”
The decision by the Government was also warmly welcomed by Golf Ireland.
“These historic events will not only be a fantastic spectacle of professional golf, but they will also pave the way for impactful legacy programs that will nurture talent and grow the game across all communities,” said CEO Mark Kennelly.
“We are particularly excited about the prospect of the AIG Women’s Open taking place in Ireland, as it would be a fantastic showcase of women’s golf. ”
“We thank the Irish Government for their commitment to securing these events and look forward to welcoming golf fans from all over the world to our shores.”
Portmarnock hosted the Amateur Championship in 2019, where James Sugrue delivered a famous home win for Ireland. This summer, it also successfully staged the Women’s Amateur Championship.
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