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Rory McIlroy has described as “amazing” any possibility that The Open – golf’s oldest Major championship – could be played at Portmarnock Golf Club in north county Dublin at some point.
With the men-only membership rule a thing of the past, the R&A could yet decide to bring the championship outside of Britain and Northern Ireland for the first time.
“I think they are seriously looking at it,” said McIlroy. “I think it will be fantastic.”
The 148th Open was held at Royal Portrush in 2019 when Shane Lowry captured the Claret Jug, his breakthrough career Major win, and the championship is due to return to the Co Antrim links again in 2025.
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The R&A’s policy of not bringing The Open to a club which had gender restrictions on membership had ruled out Portmarnock as a possibly venue but that male-only membership policy was ended in 2021 after a vote by the club’s membership.
“Having a course that’s so close to a major city, so close to a major airport, having a great golf course, I think it would be amazing,” said McIlroy of any move to take The Open to Portmarnock.
It could be that Portmarnock could be awarded the AIG Women’s Open at some stage as a precursor to being considered for The Open.
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