BRITISH OPEN champion Pádraig Harrington and Portrush native Graeme McDowell are in favour of an Ulster staging of the Irish Open.

During the recent Irish Open held at Adare Manor in Co Limerick, Harrington said: "They have a great golfing public up there [in Ulster] and they'd love to see it. And I am sure we would have a great week. Royal Portrush would be ideal for me."

Unlike Harrington, who lost the 1993 and 1995 North of Ireland finals at Royal Portrush, McDowell knows what it is like to win on the famous Ulster links thanks to his 2000 Irish Close Championship victory.

A member of Rathmore Golf Club, which plays on the Royal Portrush-owned Valley Course, McDowell said: "I've always dreamt of playing a tournament in Portrush. It's certainly something that I would love to see happen.

"Certainly I would be all for seeing an Irish Open going north of the Border. I think it really would be massive, and with what's been going on politically it would really signal good things with relationships and it would be great to see the Tour up there.

"If it were to go up to Portrush it would be pretty special for me but I would take it anywhere, [Royal] County Down, whatever, that would be nice.

"There have been whispers, but let's hope those whispers become a little bit of reality. I would love to see it happen. I think that would make a lot of sense and be a really fantastic thing."

Under the auspices of the GUI, which held the rights to the title, the Irish Open was played nine times in Ulster between 1928 and 1953.

Delgany's Harry Bradshaw lifted the title at Royal Portrush in 1947 and returned to Ulster two years later, winning his second Irish Open Championship at Belvoir Park.

The south Belfast club, which will host next week's Irish Amateur Close Championship, also staged the 1953 edition won by Scotland's Eric Brown.