R&A chief says Portmarnock Open is 'getting pretty close' as Irish government pledges up to €40m for infrastructure

Feasibility work nears completion

Mark Darbon, chief executive of the R&A, told a press conference at Royal Birkdale on 15 July 2026 that the governing body is "getting pretty close" to confirming Portmarnock Golf Club as an Open Championship venue. Speaking on the eve of the 154th Open, Darbon said a large feasibility study involving the club, Fingal County Council and the Irish government is "pretty much done" and that the R&A believes it can stage the tournament there. The north Dublin links would become the first course outside the United Kingdom to host the Open or the AIG Women's Open.

We've confirmed that we believe we can take an Open Championship there.

Government backing and infrastructure costs

The Irish government has committed up to €40 million to support the necessary infrastructure work, in partnership with Fingal County Council. The funding forms part of a broader state strategy to attract major international sporting events to Ireland. Darbon described the current dialogue with the government as focused on building a long-term model that would open up opportunities for both the Open and the Women's Open for "many, many years to come."

What we're looking to do is build a model that opens up opportunities for the AIG Women's Open and The Open for many, many years to come.

Timeline and next steps

Darbon acknowledged the process has taken longer than initially expected, attributing the delay to the complexity of the feasibility work. He said the R&A hopes to have "a pretty clear view by the end of the year for sure." The preparatory works required both on and off the course are of such a scale that adding Portmarnock to the permanent Open rota, rather than staging a one-off event, is the logical outcome. Portmarnock has previously hosted the men's and women's amateur championships and dropped its male-only membership rule in 2021, removing a key barrier to consideration.

In the spirit of transparency, it's taken a bit longer than I think we thought it would but it's complicated doing all of that feasibility work.

Ireland's Open history

Royal Portrush in County Antrim is the only Irish venue to have staged the Open, doing so in 1951, 2019 and 2025. Adding Portmarnock would give the island of Ireland two courses on the championship rota. The R&A first revealed the possibility of Portmarnock hosting the Open in 2023, with the government announcing its financial support in 2024. Darbon, who succeeded Martin Slumbers as R&A chief executive in 2024 after leading Northampton Saints rugby club, was speaking at the traditional pre-tournament press conference ahead of the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale.

Spectator conduct code introduced

Separately, the R&A confirmed it will introduce a Spectators' Code of Conduct at Royal Birkdale this week. Darbon said the move aims to discourage the kind of heckling that has affected events in the United States, including the Ryder Cup and the Players Championship. He noted that the R&A is proud of how spectators behave at the Open and described the code as a proactive measure reflecting work done in other sports he has operated.