Previous Champions at Royal Portrush Golf Course
Laid-back Lowdown on Royal Portrush Golf Club
Royal Portrush golf course in Northern Ireland, masterfully designed by Harry Colt, has been a hotspot for top-tier events since 1888.
From hosting The Amateur Championship three times, the Senior Open Championship six times, and the Irish PGA Championship five times, to taking on the men's Irish Open four times, it's safe to say this course knows how to throw a shindig!
But it's not just any old shindig, oh no. The high-profile tournaments this venue has hosted include two times welcoming The Open to its Dunluce Links course and the 2012 Irish Open. Let's take a closer look at the winners of these candypants tourneys.
Max Faulkner's One Majestic Major (1951)
The 1951 Open left many scratching their heads when it chose to make an appearance outside Scotland and England. But the powers That Be had a few tricks up their sleeves—a desire to boost Irish golf and close ties between the venue and The R&A.
When the 80th Open swung by, it was Max Faulkner who walked away with top glory. Three strokes behind the lead after his first round, a 70 in round two catapulted him to the top, one ahead of Norman Sutton. The strong lead remained, and he sealed his Major victory with a 74 in the final round, giving him a sweet £300 prize.
Jamie Donaldson Takes the Irish Open Title (2012)
The venue hosted other grand tournaments through the years, including the 1960 and 1993 Amateur Championships. But once the dust settled on the Northern Ireland conflict, the big leagues returned, like the 2012 Irish Open, previously held there in 1930, 1937, and 1947.
For those of you who don't know this, in 2007, a 16-year-old Rory McIlroy set the Royal Portrush course record there, a 61, in the North of Ireland Amateur.
Although McIlroy played in 2012, it was Welshman Jamie Donaldson who nabbed the Irish Open title that year, beating rivals Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Anthony Wall, and Fabrizio Zanotti by four strokes.
Shane Lowry Takes a Grand Slam: Wins The Open (2019)
In 2014, The R&A announced that Royal Portrush was once again making its way into the Open rotation. The following year, the news broke that the 2019 edition would grace its Dunluce Links course.
Extensive changes were made before the event, one of which involved replacing the 17th and 18th holes of the original course with the 7th and 8th holes. McIlroy may have had a soft spot for the course, but he struggled, missing the cut despite a solid performance in the second round.
But Irishman Shane Lowry conquered the course better than anyone else, winning by four strokes, setting a course record for the new layout, and snagging his very first Major title.
Now, Hear This - A Taste of Royal Portrush's Rich History
Royal Portrush Golf Club, with its grand history of hosting high-profile tournaments, notably The Open Championship, solidifies its position as one of golf’s most illustrious venues. With a rich blend of tradition and modernization, this course remains a beacon of golfing excellence!
Royal Portrush Golf Club, a beacon of golfing excellence, has a grand history of hosting high-profile golf events. Apart from being a sports venue, it is renowned for its golf courses, having masterfully designed links by Harry Colt.
Golf tournaments held at this venue include The Amateur Championship, the Senior Open Championship, the Irish PGA Championship, and The Open Championship,showcasing its reputation among various sports, particularly golf events.
