History seems to hang from every lamppost along the Causeway Coast. Drive through the villages and town lands dotted around Portrush this week and there’s scarcely a pole devoid of a Union Jack or an Ulster Banner.

“I feel like all the air has been let out of the sails plus some. The ship feels like it’s sinking.”

Pinch yourself. Major championship golf really is here.

This week’s 148th Open at Royal Portrush is officially the most attended Championship staged outside St Andrews with the R&A announcing on Wednesday that there will be a record-breaking crowd of 237,750 for the tournament starting on Thursday.

So that’s nearly Tuesday wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

Pádraig Harrington may not be allowed to gamble on golf but the two-time Open champion makes a compelling case for lifting the Claret Jug a third time this Sunday.

The whirlwind continues for James Sugrue as the newly-minted amateur champion starts to reap the rewards of his Portmarnock triumph with a major debut on home soil at the 148th Open.

Darren Clarke will have the honour of striking the first ball at The 148th Open on Thursday as major championship golf returns to Royal Portrush for the first time since 1951.

‘Duel in the Sun’ is still The Open’s greatest day, writes Kevin Markham.

Former winner Darren Clarke admits he never thought it would be possible to contest the Open Championship on home soil.