Portrush set to host 2019 Open

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.

News emerged yesterday that the oldest major championship in the world would be returning to the Antrim coast for the first time since 1951 with the tournament custodians the R&A understood to be staging a press conference to confirm the decision at Royal Portrush on Monday.

Confirmation would cap a successful end to a campaign supported by McIlroy, McDowell and Darren Clarke to bring the championship back to the island of Ireland.

That campaign gathered serious pace following the triumphant staging of the 2012 Irish Open over the renowned Dunluce links, on which 2010 US Open champion and Portush native McDowell learned to play the game.

“I really didn’t believe it was a real possibility, that it could be on the cards,” McDowell said. “Everything that Rory has achieved and Darren and myself, really the major championship success we’ve had, the country has moved on from its past troubles and something like this is massive for everyone.

“It will be pretty amazing. It is a few years out and I hope I am still playing and still competitive. It is a special, special time. Bring it on.”

Two-time major winner McIlroy has already set his sights on winning The Open on home soil but he paid tribute to Ireland’s first modern major champion Pádraig Harrington for getting the ball rolling.

“It is nice to feel you have been part of it. Pádraig started it with his major wins in 2007 and 2008, G-Mac continued in ‘10, Clarkey and me in ‘11 and then me again in ‘12, it has been a really great run. Everyone says to win the Open Championship at St Andrews is the ultimate, but to win the Open Championship at home would probably even be bigger for me.”

Whoever lifts the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush would be following Max Faulkner, who won the 1951 Open on the only occasion the championship was staged outside Scotland England.