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

Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell last night hailed the R&A’s expected decision to stage The Open Championship at Royal Portrush, probably in 2019.

A month after insisting it remained “some distance” from being able to stage the Open in the North for the first time since 1951, the R&A is set to announce Royal Portrush will host the championship in 2019.

Royal Portrush has emerged as a surprise contender to stage the US PGA Championship if the PGA of America goes ahead with plans to stage the event outside the United States.

Royal Portrush’s hopes of staging an Open Championship in the near future have received a massive setback in the wake of comments by R&A chief executive Peter Dawson yesterday.