Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell suggest moving the Open to Portrush
Another Northern Irish victory in one of the most revered majors in the sport has given an altogether new impetus to the previous calls of bringing the Open Championship back to Royal Portrush, where it was held some 60 years ago. Darren Clarke, who won
the major last week, joined his fellow countrymen Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, both US Open winners, to throw his weight behind the possible re-routing of The Open.
Clarke won his first major event with a lead of three shots and has now joined the coveted group of four Irish players, the fourth one being Padraig Harrington, in supporting the Open bid for the Portrush. But apart from all the rhetoric, Clarke seems to
be reasonably aware of all the difficulties which are involved in such a decision to be undertaken by the Royal and Ancient.
“At the moment they (the R&A) can’t see a way of having it there, so it’s very tough,” he said. “I hope at some stage in the future they will find a way around it because the golf course is every bit as good as any of the Open venues.”
McDowell is one of the strong supporters of including Portrush among the nine Links courses where the Open is normally held for past several decades. The fact that only one English player, Scot Paul Lawrie, has won the Open some 15 years ago, gives strong
credibility of the argument and the R&A, which has been reluctant to relocate the event, now accepts that the recent consecutive Irish victories are mounting pressure for the same.
R&A chief executive, Peter Dawson, who shrugged off the debate before the major, citing several logistical and commercial complexities involved, is now of the view that there is a possibility that Portrush might be considered as a viable Open venue in the
coming years.
“I think we’re all very aware of the fact that three winners from Northern Ireland increases the interest level in this,” Dawson said. “No doubt about the golf course at Portrush, although there might be one or two things one would do, but the other two
are what we have to look at.”
Clarke not only bagged the coveted title but also collected the winner’s prize share of 900,000 pounds apart from the colossal 2-million pounds he will be receiving from his various sponsorship deals for the victory.
McDowell failed to make the cut at the difficult Links course and has been battering a poor form since his victory at the US open last year. McIlroy also fared badly, although he was being touted as one of the favourites after his fabled win at the US Open,
and closed with an aggregate score of seven-over. He posted a final round of three-over, 73 to finish for a joint 25th.
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